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Venezuela–Colombia Summit Scrapped at Last Minute as Bogotá Sends Top Ministers to Caracas

Officials cited force majeure with no explanation, underscoring unresolved security concerns around cross-border cooperation.

Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez waves after bidding farewell to U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright following their meeting at Miraflores Palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
Colombian President Gustavo Petro addresses the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 4, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper/File Photo
Colombia's President Gustavo Petro speaks after voting during legislative elections in Bogota, Colombia, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
Staff members dismantle a stage after the cancellation of Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez's visit at the Atanasio Girardot International Bridge on the outskirts of Cucuta, Colombia on March 12, 2026. The first foreign visit of Venezuela's US-backed interim leader, Delcy Rodriguez, since taking power was abruptly cancelled on March 12, 2026, just hours before she was due to arrive in Colombia

Overview

  • Colombia's foreign and defense ministers traveled to Caracas after the postponement to pursue talks on trade and energy, including a recently agreed repair of a binational gas pipeline, according to sources.
  • Both governments said the leaders' meeting near the border was postponed for reasons of force majeure and signaled an intention to reschedule soon, offering no further details.
  • Hours earlier, President Gustavo Petro held a call with President Donald Trump covering energy, hydrocarbons, security, illicit crops, and efforts against drug trafficking, and Trump told Petro he is welcome in the United States.
  • The cause of the cancellation remained unclear after one Colombian official acknowledged reports of a security threat while a provincial official said there were no alerts, and preparations in Cúcuta were dismantled.
  • Interim leader Delcy Rodriguez has courted investors and reopened Venezuela's oil sector since January, and PDVSA will repair the 225-kilometer Antonio Ricaurte pipeline to enable potential Colombian imports of up to 500 million cubic feet of gas per day.