Colombia’s President promises to deepen ties with Venezuela

By MANUEL RUEDA

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — The presidents of Colombia and Venezuela have met and say they will improve trade and security cooperation, as both countries seek to normalize relations following the election of Colombia’s first leftist leader. After the meeting in Venezuela’s presidential palace, Colombian president Gustavo Petro said that it was “suicidal” for the governments of Venezuela and Colombia to have become estranged from each other recently, and added that the border between both countries had been forgotten and “turned over” to criminal mafias. Colombia’s president said both countries would now look for ways to share intelligence on drug trafficking groups.