Petro Foreign Minister meets with his Venezuelan counterpart at the border

Álvaro Leyva, foreign minister appointed by the President-elect of Colombia Gustavo Petro, arrived in the state of Táchira on Thursday, where he was received by Venezuelan Foreign Minister Carlos Faría.

Leyva held a meeting with the foreign minister and with the governor of Táchira, Freddy Bernal, at the Government Palace of that state.

According to the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry, the meeting would be related to “reestablish diplomatic relations” between Colombia and Venezuelaafter the diplomatic breakdown of relations in 2015, when the border was closed and thousands of Colombians were deported to their country.

The governor, through his social networks, pointed out the importance of this visit to Venezuela: “Today is a day of joy for Táchira, in the Palacio de Los Leones, I received the foreign minister appointed by the elected president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, to Álvaro Leyva, for a binational meeting between the brother countries”.

Donamaris Ramírez, former mayor of Cúcuta and who was invited to the meeting, told the radio network The FM that the meeting “gives us an excellent reading that tells us that the dialogues are over and relations are resumed and even anticipating the inauguration of the president-elect of Colombia Gustavo Petro.”

Petro, who will take office on August 7, has emphasized the importance of restore diplomatic relations with President Nicolás Maduro.

On Wednesday, Colombian Vice President and Foreign Minister Marta Lucía Ramírez confirmed that she would not invite no representative of the Maduro government to the possession of the elected president.

For his part, the Venezuelan head of state, Nicolás Maduro, congratulated his counterpart on the victory in what he called “historic victory in the presidential elections in Colombia.”

“New times are on the horizon for this sister country,” Maduro said.

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