Leaders from Peru and Colombia meet on Venezuelan crisis

World
Europe

Peru and Colombia on Tuesday called for international support as thousands of Venezuelan migrants flee to neighboring countries.

Speaking at a joint news conference, presidents from Peru and Colombia urged Venezuela's leader to tackle its dire domestic political and economic situation and called for a fair presidential election.

"We are also worried about the destruction of democracy and the violation of rights of Venezuelan citizens. That is why we are working together with Peru, assuming political positions and rejecting what is happening there, and calling for a peaceful and democratic transition,” Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said.

Venezuelans line up to cross into Colombia at the border in Paraguachon, Colombia, Feb. 16, 2018. /Reuters Photo

The two presidents have met in the Colombian city of Cartagena to sign bilateral agreements as part of a joint cabinet meeting.

Since 2014, Colombia and Peru have signed more than 400 different commitments to cooperate on issues such as security and trade.

At Tuesday’s meeting, 11 new agreements were signed. Among them are various projects to develop the 1,600-kilometer border between the two countries, including the Amazon rainforest.

“But we need more. We need to protect this part of the world, and not let it degrade. This jewel of the world generates so much good for all countries, even those far away,” Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski said.

Venezuela tops the agenda of the meeting, as half a million Venezuelans have fled to Colombia, many illegally, hoping to escape grinding poverty, rising violence and shortages of food and medicine in their once-prosperous, oil-exporting nation.

Colombia announced a tightening of border controls this month, deploying 3,000 additional security personnel, and asked the international community for support.

A money changer uses a calculator at the border between Colombia and Venezuela in Paraguachon, Colombia, Feb. 16, 2018. /Reuters Photo

Kuczynski said he hopes to unite South America during the Summit of the Americas, which will take place this April in Peru.

“Latin America needs to unite, but we are not united… except for Colombia and Peru, which are united, but there are other countries that are not. That is why we need to work and in the Summit of the Americas, in Lima, we will have the opportunity to do it,” said Kuczynski.

Earlier, Peru said Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is no longer welcome to the summit. The announcement came after the Venezuelan government unilaterally decided to move up April's presidential elections without support from the opposition.

14301km