Colombia and Venezuela to Forge Joint Border-Security Plan in Caracas

On 24 April 2026, Colombian President Gustavo Petro flew to Caracas to meet Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez at Miraflores palace. They will negotiate a joint security plan for the 2,200-km border, focusing on the Catatumbo region. The agenda follows a cancelled March meeting and a March economic call.

Colombia’s President Petro Says Meeting with Delcy Rodríguez Will Focus on Border SecurityPetro to meet Venezuela’s Delcy Rodríguez in Caracas, focus on border securityPetro Prioritizes Border Security at Venezuela MeetingThe Straits Times

Relations were restored in August 2022 after years of rupture. In January 2026 U.S. forces captured former President Nicolás Maduro, leading to Delcy Rodríguez’s interim rule. President Donald Trump has praised Rodríguez and urged Petro to deepen anti-drug cooperation. Human-rights groups allege Venezuelan military collusion, which Caracas denies.

The Straits TimesPetro Prioritizes Border Security at Venezuela MeetingPetro to meet Venezuela’s Delcy Rodríguez in Caracas, focus on border securityColombia’s President Petro Says Meeting with Delcy Rodríguez Will Focus on Border Security

Petro’s team includes Defence Minister Pedro Sánchez and senior military and police officials. Rodríguez’s delegation comprises security ministers and economic advisers. UN mission head Miroslav Jenca will observe.

Colombia’s President Petro Says Meeting with Delcy Rodríguez Will Focus on Border Security

Trade grew from US$200 million in 2023 to over US$1 billion in 2025, a 600 % rise, giving Colombia a US$1 billion surplus. Informal cross-border commerce adds another US$1 billion annually. Roughly three million Venezuelan migrants now live in Colombia. The Catatumbo corridor, a major coca zone, fuels illicit drug trade and endures armed-group clashes.

Petro to meet Venezuela’s Delcy Rodríguez in Caracas, focus on border security

Petro’s office said the talks aim to strengthen bilateral cooperation, territorial control and security coordination. Rodríguez urged Washington to lift sanctions, saying special licenses and waivers are insufficient for investors. The UN mission called for rural reform and security guarantees in Catatumbo.

Colombia’s President Petro Says Meeting with Delcy Rodríguez Will Focus on Border Security

Human-rights groups allege Venezuelan military collusion with Colombian armed groups, a claim Caracas rejects. Jenca noted January drone attacks in Catatumbo destroyed homes, left explosive hazards near schools and land-mines, and condemned child recruitment by illegal groups.

The Straits Times

The joint plan could curb drug trafficking, reduce civilian casualties, and stabilize migration flows, thereby enhancing security for border communities and supporting broader South-American economic integration.

Remarks SRSG Miroslav Jenca UN Security Council meeting on Colombia

• “The issue is security and a joint plan,” — Gustavo Petro, President of Colombia

Colombia’s President Petro Says Meeting with Delcy Rodríguez Will Focus on Border Security

• “If there is no intelligence, bombs fall in the wrong place; if intelligence guides the shots, if shots are fired without intelligence, they end up killing people, as has already happened in Colombia,” — Gustavo Petro, President of Colombia

Petro Prioritizes Border Security at Venezuela Meeting

• “to lift sanctions on her country, saying special licenses and waivers are not enough for investors to feel secure or for the economy to recover.” — Delcy Rodríguez, Acting President of Venezuela

The Straits Times

• “The Catatumbo region is a case in point of what is happening in such areas —its population caught in the middle of disputes by armed groups in one of the regions with the highest concentrations of coca in the country.” — Miroslav Jenca, UN Special Representative for Colombia

Remarks SRSG Miroslav Jenca UN Security Council meeting on Colombia

Delegations will sign the final act of III Commission on Neighborhood and Integration and draft a security framework by May’s end. Intelligence and patrol meetings are set for late 2026, with UN monitoring.

Remarks SRSG Miroslav Jenca UN Security Council meeting on Colombia