Colombia, Venezuela Patch Up Relations

Neighbors had been feuding over rebels, border
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 11, 2010 8:52 AM CDT
Colombia, Venezuela Patch Up Relations
Hugo Chavez gives Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, a biography of Simon Bolivar during a joint press conference in Santa Marta, Colombia, Aug. 10, 2010.   (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

Venezuela and Colombia have agreed to kiss and make up after a recent feud that at one point had Hugo Chavez lining the border with troops. Chavez met with newly-minted Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos yesterday to proclaim their newfound friendship. The countries will form joint committees to iron out the details, and create a “roadmap” for future relations, Bloomberg reports.

“We are starting this relationship from zero in a frank and sincere way,” said Santos, who was sworn in on Saturday. The dispute began when Colombia accused Venezuela of harboring rebels. But Chavez denied those allegations again yesterday, and said Santos had promised to believe him. “If I supported the guerrillas the results would be quite notable,” he added, “they would have weapons and money.” (More Colombia stories.)

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