"hold a binational meeting soon" -- their first since Nicolas Maduro was ousted. Maduro and his wife were captured by the United States in a military raid January 3, and his former vice president Rodriguez has assumed power, governing under the watchful eye of Washington. "We agreed to hold a binational meeting at the level of heads of state soon," Rodriguez wrote on her Telegram account, vowing to work on "key issues" including energy and security.

Colombia said weeks ago such a meeting would take place, but no date has been set. Colombian President Gustavo Petro was an important ally of Maduro, and initially condemned his "kidnapping" and the bombing of Venezuela, but his tone has softened since speaking with US President Donald Trump. Petro last visited Venezuela in April 2024. The two countries share a porous 2,200 kilometer (1,300 mile) border where various armed groups compete for illegal profits in drug trafficking, illegal mining and smuggling. (Bssnews)