Colombia’s Santos, Venezuela’s Chavez seek to re-establish relations after dispute

Colombia, Venezuela leaders seek to repair ties

SANTA MARTA, Colombia — Newly elected Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos sought to repair relations Tuesday with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who cut off ties in a dispute with Colombia’s former leader.

Both Santos and Chavez expressed optimism their first meeting would produce positive results, but did not go into details.

Chavez severed diplomatic relations with Colombia on July 22 after the government of Santos’ hard-line predecessor, Alvaro Uribe, publicly presented photos, videos and maps of what it said were Colombian rebel camps inside Venezuela. Chavez accused of Uribe of lying and trying to stir up a conflict in his final days in office.

Trade between the neighboring countries had already fallen dramatically in the past year as relations deteriorated.

“We are here seeking the re-establishment of relations between two sister countries,” Santos said as he arrived in Santa Marta on Colombia’s Caribbean coast.

The two presidents greeted each other at the gates of a colonial-era estate where 19th century independence hero Simon Bolivar died. Chavez, who views Bolivar as the inspiration of his socialist movement, said it was appropriate to be making amends at a place he considers sacred.

With Santos taking a more conciliatory tone than Uribe, Chavez expressed optimism they would begin to “rebuild what was broken to pieces.”

Chavez handed three red roses to Colombian Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin as he stepped off the plane. He said he hopes to “build new and good relations.”

The 56-year-old Venezuelan president also joked that Tuesday happened to be Santos’ 35th birthday, when in fact the Colombian leader was turning 59.

Hundreds of extra police beefed up security in Santa Marta, where the presidents met in private.

Santos, who was sworn in Saturday, is a U.S.-educated economist and was a defense minister under Uribe. Santos and Chavez have traded barbs in the past, but Santos expressed interest in mending ties with Venezuela — which led Chavez to offer a visit to “turn the page.”

Trade between the countries, which traditionally has benefited Colombian food producers, fell sharply in the past year, in part because Chavez froze relations to protest Colombia’s decision to grant the U.S. military expanded access to its military bases.

Chavez has yet to address concerns long voiced by Colombian officials, often in private, that Venezuela is not taking action against rebels who cross the border to rest and resupply. Those concerns are likely to be discussed discreetly as the two leaders seek to restore dialogue.

Analyst Laura Gil, a columnist for the Colombian newspaper El Tiempo, said of the meeting: “It’s a good start, but there should not be exaggerated hopes.”

She predicted that attempts to rebuild lost trade and obtain the sort of security cooperation from Chavez that Colombia has long sought will be problematic.