Petro denies meeting with Maduro, but is already working on normalizing relations with Venezuela

The new president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, denied this Tuesday (9) that there is an appointment with the president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, but said that his government is already working on the normalization of relations with the neighboring country.

This Tuesday, Venezuela announced the resumption of its military relations with Colombia.

“If that were the case, here there would not only be information, but preparation and that does not exist,” Petro said of reports in the Venezuelan media that indicated that the two leaders would meet in the coming days.

However, Petro said that Colombia has been working on the normalization of relations with Venezuela “since before the inauguration, because the normalization of relations is being worked on and it is a process that implies the opening of the border, etc.”.

The confirmation of the new president on the subject was given to several Colombian media. “At this time, the chancellor has made contacts with the other government to process the opening of the border,” Petro said.

From Venezuela, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said in turn that he had received instructions from Maduro to “immediately establish contact with the Colombian Defense Minister to re-establish our military relations”.

In this regard, Petro clarified that “commercial, cultural, social, family and even military relationships of all kinds must be established”.

Asked when he considers that relations between the two countries will be re-established, the new president estimated that “in two months we may have overcome the most important thing”.