Venezuela & Colombia Cancel President's Meeting Citing 'Force Majeure'

Venezuela and Colombia canceled a planned meeting between their presidents on Friday, citing “force majeure” but giving no further explanation for the decision.

The meeting between Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodriguez and Colombian President Gustavo Petro was scheduled to take place near the countries’ shared Colombia-Venezuela border. It was set to be Rodriguez’s first in-person meeting with a foreign leader since she assumed office in January after the ousting of former president Nicolas Maduro.

In a joint statement released Thursday, the two governments said the cancellation was due to extraordinary circumstances, using the term “force majeure,” which refers to unforeseen events that prevent a scheduled activity from taking place. Officials from both countries did not provide details about what caused the cancellation.

• Venezuela, Colombia cancel presidential meeting citing force majeure
• Petro–Rodríguez talks postponed despite plans for border summit
• Both nations pledge to maintain cooperation and reschedule talks

Despite the change in plans, the two countries said they intend to maintain bilateral relations and reschedule the meeting soon.

“The governments of Colombia and Venezuela reiterate their willingness to strengthen trust, cooperation and bilateral relations by promoting opportunities for the development and integration of border territories,” the joint statement said.

The meeting was expected to focus on border security and economic activity along the Colombia-Venezuela border. The region has faced challenges for years, including smuggling, illegal armed groups, migration flows and disruptions to cross-border trade.

The cancellation came shortly after Petro held a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday. According to Petro’s office, the two leaders discussed issues including economic activity along the Colombia-Venezuela border and regional cooperation.

Trump also wished Petro success in the planned meeting with Rodriguez, according to a statement released by the Colombian presidency.

Rodriguez, who previously served as Venezuela’s vice president, took office earlier this year after a U.S. operation capturing Maduro, triggering a change in Venezuela’s political leadership.

Since taking office, Rodriguez has promoted measures aimed at stabilizing the Venezuelan economy and attracting investment, particularly in the oil and mining sectors.
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The planned meeting with Petro was seen as an opportunity to strengthen ties between the neighboring countries, which share a long and complex border and maintain ongoing political and economic relations.