Colombian Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin will meet on October 7 with her Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro as part of the process of normalizing bilateral relations between the neighboring countries.
The Colombian foreign minister told La FM that “this is the first public announcement of the meeting, which hopefully will not change.” Holguin added that she and her counterpart were working hard to improve relations with Venezuela, and that this could improve the situation in Cucuta, the main border town, where the meeting will be held.
“Cucuta now is my second home … this month I have gone there twice,” said the minister.
Hugo Chavez broke off relations with Colombia in July after the government of President Alvaro Uribe accused Venezuela of accommodating Colombian guerrillas within its borders, in front of the Organization of American States.
Colombia’s President Juan Manuel Santos will have a second meeting with Chavez, following their successful summit in Santa Marta soon after Santos’ inauguration. Chavez invited Santos to come to Caracas to continue strengthening relations between the two countries. The relationship between to leaders has so far been based on “respect, cooperation and diplomacy,” according to Santos.