Colombia has rejected claims that Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro was born in Cucuta, affirming that a document used to stir the birth rumors is false, local media reported Wednesday.
According to the director of Colombia’s National Registry, Carlos Alberto Arias, a birth certificate sent to media by Venezuela’s former ambassador to Panama is not an official birth certificate issued by the Colombian state.
“The register has some characteristics that do not correspond to the format we use,” Arias told Blu Radio.
According to former Venezuelan ambassador Guillermo Cochez who had spread the apparently false document, Maduro was born on November 1961 in Cucuta, a city on the Venezuelan border.
However, according to Colombia’s registrar, the document “has an inscription date of July 19, 2013” that appeared to be issued by a registry official who has been “enjoying his pension for two years.”
Additionally, the personal identity number on the document corresponds to that of a Colombian citizen, said Arias.
Maduro has come under fire in his home country after winning presidential elections this year amid accusations of fraud.