The Venezuelan Defense Minister, Vladimir Padrino, and his Colombian counterpart, Ivan Velasquez, agreed, this Saturday, September 24, to install binational working groups to address various security issues, in view of the reopening of the common border, scheduled for this September 26.
(See: Border Colombia – Venezuela: the details of the reopening on Monday).
“We have agreed to set up technical work tables and draw up a roadmap because now the issues are coming, but in spurts, in large quantities.“, Padrino told reporters at the end of the meeting with Velásquez, in the Venezuelan city of San Antonio, near the border.
The general described the meeting as “harmonic, productive and fruitful“, and advanced that it is about “the first of many that will happen“.
“We agree that the first thing is to establish communication (…) we cannot go on without talking on a border as lively as ours, as extensive as ours, where incidents of all kinds occur constantly“, he expressed.
For his part, Velásquez said that the meeting, which he attended with various deputy ministers, “It will mark the beginning of relations between the Ministries of Defense and the military forces, of great benefit to the region and to the entire border.“.
(See: Colombia has already received 8,000 tons of urea from Venezuela).
“We define the first steps that we must advance, the establishment of a technical table, in which they begin to define the first steps and a schedule that will finally lead to the full reestablishment of military relations between the two countries.“, held.
The Colombian celebrated the character “cordial” of the meeting and reiterated that it was agreed immediately establish a military dialogue channel from next Monday, to jointly attend to the eventualities that occur from that day, when vehicles will travel through the border areas again, something that has not happened since 2015.
(See: María Luisa Chiappe, new president of the Colombo-Venezuelan Chamber).
Colombian President Gustavo Petro (center) walks with Major General Henry Armando Sanabria Cely, other officers, and his Defense Minister, Iván Velásquez.
EFE
The reopening of the border between Colombia and Venezuela is part of the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between both nations, an accelerated process that began in August with the coming to power of Gustav Petro, who recognizes Nicholas Maduro as the legitimate authority of Venezuela, unlike its predecessor, Ivan Duke.
(See: Wingo already sells tickets between Bogotá and Caracas: prices and schedules).
EFE
