Colombia’s leader to meet Venezuela’s Delcy Rodríguez for first, key talks

Colombian President Petro Visits Venezuela for Talks on Gas, Border Security

Colombian President Gustavo Petro arrived in Venezuela Friday for critical discussions with Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, marking their first formal meeting since U.S. forces removed former President Nicolás Maduro from power in January.

The high-stakes talks in Caracas are expected to focus on bilateral trade opportunities and persistent security challenges along the countries’ shared border, where illegal armed groups continue to operate with relative impunity.

Colombia has positioned itself as a potential buyer of Venezuelan natural gas and recently sought exemptions from U.S. sanctions to invest in Venezuelan energy projects. These initiatives could include revitalizing a cross-border gas pipeline, for which Colombia’s government has already reached preliminary agreements with Venezuela’s state oil company PDVSA to replace sections on Colombian territory.

“The United States has an interest in Colombia becoming the buyer of Venezuelan gas,” explained Ronal Rodríguez Durán, a researcher at the Venezuela Observatory at Universidad del Rosario. “Colombia, by virtue of its geographical position, would become the client that could quickly bring revenue into Venezuela under U.S. supervision.”

Energy cooperation between the neighboring countries represents a strategic priority for the U.S. administration, which seeks to stabilize Venezuela’s economy following years of decline under Maduro’s government. The economic collapse prompted an unprecedented exodus of approximately 7.7 million Venezuelans, creating humanitarian challenges throughout the region.

The gas partnership concept featured prominently in discussions between Petro and U.S. President Donald Trump during their February White House meeting. The cordial talks marked a surprising shift in tone after Trump had previously threatened Colombia with military action and accused Petro of facilitating cocaine trafficking into the United States.

According to Petro, his discussions with Trump included strategies to revitalize Venezuela’s economy with Colombian assistance. The Colombian leader has advocated for the U.S. to “lift sanctions” against Venezuela as part of a broader normalization process.

Border security remains another critical agenda item for the Caracas talks. Petro’s delegation includes high-ranking military and police officials who will coordinate intelligence efforts with their Venezuelan counterparts, particularly regarding the volatile Catatumbo region, where rival armed groups battle for territorial control.

“Without close collaboration on intelligence, bombs land in the wrong places… and end up killing civilians,” Petro warned ahead of the meeting, highlighting the urgent need for coordinated security operations.

Diplomatic relations between Colombia and Venezuela have been strained for years. While Petro maintained diplomatic ties with Caracas, he did not recognize Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate president following the contested July 2024 elections, which triggered widespread protests and subsequent government repression.

Colombia’s government has framed Friday’s meeting as an effort to “contribute to a resolution of Venezuela’s political crisis,” though analysts remain skeptical about what concrete progress can be achieved.

“Petro’s leverage is limited regarding any potential mediation,” noted Rodríguez Durán, pointing out that the Colombian president’s term ends in August. Future relations between the neighboring countries will likely depend on Colombia’s upcoming presidential transition.

A previous meeting between Petro and Rodríguez, scheduled to take place at their shared border last month, was abruptly canceled by both governments citing unspecified “force majeure” circumstances. Prior to that canceled meeting, several Venezuelan non-governmental organizations had publicly urged Petro to advocate for “democratic principles and human rights” in Venezuela, including the release of political prisoners and an end to government persecution.

As both nations navigate these complex diplomatic waters, the outcomes of Friday’s talks could significantly impact regional stability, energy security, and migration patterns throughout Latin America. Success would represent a rare positive development in a relationship that has weathered decades of political turmoil and ideological differences.