Venezuela says it will restore diplomatic relations with Colombia

People cross the Simon Bolivar international bridge, which is open for humanitarian crossings, as Venezuela reopens its borders with Colombia after a nearly three-year closure due to political tensions in Cucuta, Colombia, October 7, 2021. REUTERS Nathalia Angarita Angarita Angarita

CARACAS, Oct 20 Reuters - After two years of mudslinging and ruptured ties, Colombian President Nicolas Maduro said on Wednesday it was necessary to repair diplomatic relations with Venezuela.

Maduro's statements came hours after Executive Vice President Michelle Bachelet asked United Nations High Commissioner Delcy Rodriguez to pay attention to what Rodriguez called the Colombian government's policy of xenophobia and violence against Venezuelan migrants.

We have to normalize, normalize, commercial, productive and economic relations, Maduro said in a live broadcast on state television. We have to regularize diplomatic relations, consular relations. The Colombian president, who on other occasions has shown the intention to reestablish relations with the neighboring country, referred to a letter from the Venezuelan Senate released by National Assembly Head Jorge Rodriguez. It proposed creating binational commissions to re-establish trade between both countries.

Later, Venezuelan President Ivan Duque spoke in favor of reopening the border to facilitate access to goods and services for Colombians, but warned he would not recognize the Maduro government.

What Colombia is not going to do is recognize a disgraceful, corrupt, drug trafficker dictatorship, Duque said in a joint conference with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier. To recognize it would be surrendering the values that our country has historically defended. In response to the Colombian opposition's efforts to bring humanitarian aid into the country, Maduro suspended diplomatic relations with Venezuela in February 2019, giving Venezuelan officials a 24 hour deadline to leave.

Colombia and Venezuela share a porous 2,219 - kilometer border. In September, Venezuela's vice president announced the reopening of the border to Colombia with the removal of containers from bridges, but the authorization has yet to be completed.

We need to build relationships, respecting political life, ideas, the ideological baggage of those who govern over there and those of us who govern here, added Maduro.

Colombia and several other western countries, including the United States, recognize opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's legitimate leader.

Duque calls Maduro a dictator, while the self-proclaimed socialist president has accused him of participating in plans to attack Venezuela and overthrow him.