After the ouster of Nicolás Maduro in the United States, acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez, who has been in charge of running Venezuela's government, chose Colombia as her first overseas destination since taking office in Jan.
On the 5th (local time), the Colombian presidential office said, "President Gustavo Petro is scheduled to meet with acting Venezuelan President Rodríguez on the 13th for a summit."
The meeting will take place in Cúcuta, Norte de Santander, a border city with Venezuela.
The two leaders are expected to use the talks as a chance to normalize relations and deepen economic and security cooperation. In particular, establishing public security along the 2,200-kilometer border is seen as a key agenda item, as joint responses to Colombian guerrillas and drug-trafficking groups that previously used Venezuela as a hideout remain a major task for both sides.
In addition, the Colombian daily El Espectador said Colombia is likely to move to secure practical gains by stabilizing domestic gas supplies through securing export volumes of Venezuelan fuel. This is because acting President Rodríguez is accelerating the opening of the energy market.
After receiving a courtesy visit the previous day from U.S. Interior Secretary and National Energy Commission Chair Doug Burgum, acting President Rodríguez wrote on her Instagram, "We reviewed the agenda in the mining sector and exchanged information on investment flows and new technologies," adding, "Venezuela will continue to strengthen international relations for national development and to improve the welfare of all people."
Venezuela's state broadcaster "TV FANB" reported that Venezuelan authorities also signed a contract with the U.K.-based global energy corporations Shell.