Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)—Venezuela and Colombia reached a series of high-level agreements aimed at strengthening binational cooperation following the meeting between Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodríguez and Colombian President Gustavo Petro, held Friday, April 25, at Miraflores Palace in Caracas. The meeting focused on the immediate activation of joint military plans and intelligence mechanisms to neutralize criminal groups in border areas, in addition to significant advancements in energy interconnection and import substitution.
Petro is the first head of state to pay an official visit to Venezuela since the deadly US bombing of the country on January 3, 2026, which resulted in the murder of more than 100 people. While Petro’s visit marks a diplomatic breakthrough, some Chavista analysts continue to question the Colombian president’s interventionist statements following the 2024 presidential elections, citing his recurrent interference in Venezuela’s internal political affairs.
Security and border defense
Venezuelan Acting President Rodríguez described the new security protocols as a “second milestone” in the ongoing normalization of relations with Colombia. The agreement mandates the creation of joint military plans and the immediate establishment of mechanisms for information sharing and intelligence gathering to combat transnational crime.
“These are mechanisms that must be implemented immediately, so that drug trafficking groups, groups involved in fuel smuggling, and other types of contraband understand that we are taking firm steps to combat these crimes with seriousness and professionalism,” Rodríguez said. The plan also incorporates socioeconomic programs designed to support vulnerable populations who have historically been victims of border violence.
Energy and electricity interconnection
In the economic sphere, the summit underscored the urgent need for electrical interconnection to stabilize western Venezuela. The region has faced severe challenges due to lack of investment in Venezuela’s National Electric System, attributed directly to US sanctions that have blocked the acquisition of spare parts and technological and financial resources necessary for maintenance.
Regarding natural gas, the two sides discussed mutual supply chains and the prospect of joint exports to third-party markets. “The Venezuelan people are suffering from disinvestment … a result of sanctions,” Rodríguez noted, adding that the joint export of gas to other countries is a priority scenario currently under consideration.
Trade and import substitution
The acting president highlighted the gradual recovery of binational trade, which has risen from a historic low of $50 million to $1.2 billion last year. The two leaders underscored the importance of a binational import substitution policy to strengthen regional sovereignty.
“It makes no sense for Colombia or Venezuela to look to other countries for products we can manufacture within our own borders,” Rodríguez stated. “We must think as a single people rediscovering our productive potential.”
The Neighborhood and Integration Commission
The meeting concluded with the signing of the agreement of the Third Meeting of the Neighborhood and Integration Commission. This commission, led by Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil and his Colombian counterpart, Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio, reported progress in seven key areas, including health, the environment, and tourism.
Rodríguez pointed to the revival of air connections as a catalyst for “common multi-destination projects” to boost the tourism sectors of both countries.
At the close of the meeting, the Venezuelan leader thanked President Petro for his solidarity, noting that he was among the first heads of state to contact Venezuelan authorities following the US aggression and the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro. Petro, for his part, insisted on the call for unity within Simon Bolivar’s Great Colombia project.
Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff
OT/JRE/SC
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