Colombian President Petro Meets Venezuela's Acting Leader Rodriguez in Caracas

Colombian President Gustavo Petro met with Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez at the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas on Friday, April 24, 2026. S. military seized former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife from their home on January 3, 2026.

The discussions covered migration, defense, border security, industrial cooperation, and trade. Petro's delegation included top military and police officials. The leaders had planned to meet last month at their shared border, but the governments canceled it citing "force majeure" without further explanation.

of the meeting, Petro announced a focus on border security, particularly in the Catatumbo region where rival armed groups compete for territorial control. He stressed the need for close collaboration on intelligence to prevent incidents where "bombs land in the wrong places" and kill civilians.

Colombia-Venezuela relations have been strained. Petro did not recognize Maduro as Venezuela's legitimate president following the contested July 2024 elections, which led to protests and repression. Despite this, diplomatic ties were maintained. raid that captured Maduro, who was brought to New York to face drug trafficking charges.

Petro became the first foreign leader to visit Venezuela since Maduro's ousting. Colombia's government stated the meeting aims to contribute to resolving Venezuela's political crisis. However, a researcher noted that Petro's leverage is limited as his term ends in August 2026.

Ronal Rodríguez Durán, a researcher at the Venezuela Observatory at the Universidad del Rosario, said Petro's mediation potential is constrained given the timing of his term's end. Future ties between the two countries will likely be influenced by who takes power next in Colombia.

The leaders pledged military cooperation during the visit. This pledge comes amid efforts to address the bilateral agenda comprehensively.

Maduro's capture followed years of international pressure over his government's actions. Petro's visit underscores ongoing efforts to stabilize relations despite past tensions. The meeting occurred as both nations seek to tackle shared challenges like migration and security. Sources agreed on the key details of the visit and discussions, with no major contradictions reported.