Colombian President Alvaro Uribe visits Venezuela (updated)

Updates:

During a joint press conference today, President Hugo Chavez stated that both Colombia and Venezuela were meant to remain together. At the meeting, a re launching of diplomatic relations and cooperation on drug trafficking were agreed.

Caracas, Venezuela, 11 July 2008. Colombian President Alvaro Uribe arrived in Amuay oil Refinery, near Punto Fijo, North Western Venezuela, in a seven hour official visit.This is his first visit to Venezuela after a regional crisis after the death of FARC leader Raul Reyes prompted acrimonious exchanges and the rupture of diplomatic relations. Their last bilateral encounter took place on 12 October 2007.

It is expected both Venezuelan and Colombian Presidents, Hugo Chavez and Alvaro Uribe, will sign four cooperation agreements and discuss further car sales. It is also expected, they would discuss oil prices, energy concerns, food security, tourism, bilateral commerce and the liberation of remaining FARC hostages.

This vist takes place while President Uribe is confronting an institutional crisis after his second term legitimacy was challenged by bribery accusation or the Yidisgate. On the other hand, President Chavez is currently going through tremendous efforts to appease crisis amid a local election campaign. Furthermore, the "death" of a student during protest in Merida yesterday could have tainted the visit.

More news to come

Sources: VTV, El Universal, Globovision, YVKE,Telesur, Le Figaro, RFI, Unionradio,BBC Mundo, El Tiempo, Caracol, Vanguardia Liberal,      

Related stories: Venezuela: One student dead and three injured during protest (updated III), Colombian President Uribe calls for Referendum amid political crisis (updated), Colombia: Should Uribe run for a third term?, Colombian Yidisgate continues to shake Uribe government (updated), Venezuela & Colombia Make Nice

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