Colombian, Venezuelan FMs meet on border crisis

The foreign ministers of Colombia and Venezuela, Maria Angela Holguin and Delcy Rodriguez, met on Wednesday in the city of Cartagena to evaluate a crisis that has seen Venezuela block off the border and deport Colombians.

Holguin was accompanied by Colombian Defence Minister Juan Carlos Villegas and Interior Minister Juan Fernando Cristo as well as the national police chief, while Rodriguez came with the governors of the states of Zulia, Apure and Tachira.

As of Wednesday morning, Venezuela had forcefully deported over 1,000 Colombians from the state of Tachira with hundreds more choosing to flee with what belongings they could carry before being made to leave with nothing.

On Tuesday, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos gave a televised address, assuring his country that the government was doing everything possible to help the Colombians being deported by providing them with shelter and food. He has previously called the deportations a "humanitarian tragedy".

He demanded that Venezuelan authorities treat Colombians living across the border with respect as those deported have accused Venezuelan soldiers of robbing them and looting their homes.

Santos is expected to visit the troubled border Wednesday afternoon and to order the deployment of more police and army forces to the region.

Also on Wednesday, Venezuelan Minister of Interior and Justice Gustavo Gonzalez said the border region with Colombia would not become a "nest" for paramilitary groups.

Speaking to local media, Gonzalez said the security operations that had been carried out in the last few days in the state of Tachira sought to "eliminate" paramilitary groups in the area as well as operations smuggling food and gas to Colombia.

"We intend to return peace and coexistence to the border areas while promoting the productive development of these localities," said the minister.

Source: AFP