Venezuela to withdraw troops after invading Colombia
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro will withdraw troops from Colombia's side of the two countries' border, after his soldiers set up camp in the neighboring country, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said on Thursday.
Santos, speaking on television, said the incursion of about 70 Venezuelan soldiers into the Colombian border province of Arauca was "totally unacceptable."
"I have just spoken with President Maduro," Santos said. "He has assured me he has ordered the withdrawal of troops from Colombian territory."
The neighbors would work together through diplomacy until the situation on the border normalizes, Santos said, adding that he was informed of the incursion on Wednesday.
Later, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez said that the incursion was due to the Arauca River changing its channel, given the rain. "In this area, the river's route changes with the flooding of the river," said Rodriguez, adding that diplomats from the two countries would soon meet.
Relations between the South American neighbors have been tense for years. Venezuela has closed the border several times in a crackdown on smugglers. In 2015, it deported hundreds of Colombians it accused of criminal activities.
The move came just months after the two neighbors started to reopen their border following a security dispute.
Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos said he had complained to his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro that Venezuelan troops had set up a camp in the Colombian border region of Arauca.
"I told him that the situation is totally unacceptable for Colombia," Santos said in an address after a meeting with defense chiefs.
President Manuel stated that his counters assured him that "he had ordered the withdrawal of the troops from Colombian territory and we agreed to keep open a dialogue and diplomatic channels until the situation returns to normal."
"I have instructed the armed forces to stay in the area and continue exercising full sovereignty over the territory."
The foreign ministry said in a statement earlier that it had "information from the Colombian armed forces about the installation of a Venezuelan military camp in the municipality of Arauquita," in Arauca.
It said the government had sent officials to the area to investigate and meet Venezuelan border authorities.
Venezuela had closed the border following an armed attack on a Venezuelan military patrol that left three soldiers wounded. That attack was blamed on Colombian paramilitaries, remnants of Colombia's long civil war. Colombian authorities also reported a further incident in January 2016 in which gunshots were exchanged in the area. Arauquita is a strategic spot near the two countries' porous border, located on a road linking the Caribbean with the Pacific.
Santos, speaking on television, said the incursion of about 70 Venezuelan soldiers into the Colombian border province of Arauca was "totally unacceptable."
"I have just spoken with President Maduro," Santos said. "He has assured me he has ordered the withdrawal of troops from Colombian territory."
The neighbors would work together through diplomacy until the situation on the border normalizes, Santos said, adding that he was informed of the incursion on Wednesday.
Later, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez said that the incursion was due to the Arauca River changing its channel, given the rain. "In this area, the river's route changes with the flooding of the river," said Rodriguez, adding that diplomats from the two countries would soon meet.
Relations between the South American neighbors have been tense for years. Venezuela has closed the border several times in a crackdown on smugglers. In 2015, it deported hundreds of Colombians it accused of criminal activities.
The move came just months after the two neighbors started to reopen their border following a security dispute.
Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos said he had complained to his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro that Venezuelan troops had set up a camp in the Colombian border region of Arauca.
"I told him that the situation is totally unacceptable for Colombia," Santos said in an address after a meeting with defense chiefs.
President Manuel stated that his counters assured him that "he had ordered the withdrawal of the troops from Colombian territory and we agreed to keep open a dialogue and diplomatic channels until the situation returns to normal."
"I have instructed the armed forces to stay in the area and continue exercising full sovereignty over the territory."
The foreign ministry said in a statement earlier that it had "information from the Colombian armed forces about the installation of a Venezuelan military camp in the municipality of Arauquita," in Arauca.
It said the government had sent officials to the area to investigate and meet Venezuelan border authorities.
Venezuela had closed the border following an armed attack on a Venezuelan military patrol that left three soldiers wounded. That attack was blamed on Colombian paramilitaries, remnants of Colombia's long civil war. Colombian authorities also reported a further incident in January 2016 in which gunshots were exchanged in the area. Arauquita is a strategic spot near the two countries' porous border, located on a road linking the Caribbean with the Pacific.