Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodríguez. Photo: Venezuelan Presidential Press Office.
Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro and Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodriguez postponed their next meeting, delaying crucial talks on binational cooperation and energy integration.
A highly anticipated presidential meeting between Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro and Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodriguez, scheduled for March 13, at the Atanasio Girardot International Bridge in Colombia, has been postponed.
In a joint communiqué both Governments cited “force majeure reasons” for the delay, committing to reschedule the crucial discussions aimed at strengthening binational cooperation and integration.
The meeting would have marked the first in-person presidential encounter for Acting President Rodriguez since she took office following the United States’ kidnapping of President Nicolas Maduro last January.
Text reads: “The Governments of Venezuela and Colombia inform public opinion that a presidential meeting of the two Heads of State was scheduled to take place at the Atanasio Girardot “Tienditas” International Bridge (Colombia) on March 13, 2026, with the purpose of continuing to strengthen the spirit of integration and brotherhood between the two nations and advancing initiatives for binational cooperation.”
Strategical Common Agenda
The primary objective of the bilateral discussions was to further solidify the spirit of integration and brotherhood between the two neighboring nations, advancing various binational strategic cooperation initiatives since the restoration of diplomatic relations in 2022.
At the same time, the bilateral agenda seeks to strengthen sovereignty through close institutional coordination aimed at ensuring peace across the binational territories, reaffirming the commitment to Latin American unity.
In this context, it prioritizes the promotion of economic and trade exchange through the border crossings in Zulia, Apure, and the Amazon region -areas considered vital for boosting production and improving the well-being of communities along the shared frontier.
A key area of focus for the leaders is energy cooperation, particularly Colombia’s expressed interest in importing Venezuelan natural gas. This interest was underscored by a recent announcement from the Colombian Government regarding an agreement with Venezuela’s state oil company PDVSA to replace a section of the gas pipeline on the Colombian side, aiming to facilitate future gas transit.
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Despite the postponement, President Petro maintains his invitation for Acting President Rodriguez to hold the presidential meeting in his country.
“The Governments of Colombia and Venezuela reiterate their willingness to strengthen trust, cooperation and bilateral relationship, promoting opportunities for the development and integration of border territories”, states the joint document, highlighting the strategic importance of their partnership.
Therefore, while the immediate meeting has been delayed, the strategic imperative for Colombia and Venezuela to work closely together persists, setting the stage for future productive discussions.
(teleSUR)
