Colombia, Venezuela's presidents meet for 3rd time to strengthen alliance

By Laura Gamba

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - Colombian President Gustavo Petro held talks Thursday with his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro in their third meeting since the two countries reestablished diplomatic relations after a three-year break.

The joint fight against drug trafficking, collaboration on the border and the opening of consulates were some of the issues discussed by the two leaders during their "working meeting" in the Venezuelan capital Caracas. The two heads of state also discussed the opening of 15 Colombian consulates that were closed in Venezuela.

Maduro described the meeting with Petro as "productive and warm.”

"We set out to deepen the alliances between Venezuela and Colombia, and we are achieving it with union and commitment,” Maduro wrote on Twitter following the talks, which lasted more than three hours.

The two leaders met last month on the border between the two countries to sign a bilateral trade agreement to allow commercial activity, which had been suspended for years.

On Thursday, Petro arrived with his Foreign Minister, Alvaro Leyva, at Simon Bolivar International Airport, where he was received by the Venezuelan Vice Minister for North America, Carlos Ron. Minutes later, he met with Maduro, who received him accompanied by his wife, Cilia Flores.

Before becoming president, Petro had promised that he would reestablish diplomatic ties with Venezuela. The neighboring country broke all ties with Colombia when former President Ivan Duque supported Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido. Before Petro, the last Colombian leader to visit Venezuela was Juan Manuel Santos in 2016.