Colombia s President Juan Manuel Santos came at a tense border city Saturday amid an escalating row with neighboring Venezuela that Led to deportations and the exodus of thousands of Colombians back home.
“I am here to assure our fellow Colombians get the services they need,” Santos said as he Initiated the tour of Cucuta, a far northeastern city of about 700,00 with close business ties to Venezuela and which has been on edge.
The crisis Began on August 19 after Venezuela s President Nicolas Maduro closed the border and then announced a state of emergency following an incident in which three Venezuelan soldiers were shot and injured by two assailants on a motorcycle.
Maduro has stated 3,000 troops were being sent to search “high and low” for Colombian paramilitaries, whom he has blamed for last week s shooting.
Since then, 1,097 Colombians have been summarily deported from Venezuela and more thousand more Colombians have fled for home, scared.
In Washington, State Department Showed concern Friday and requested both countries to resolve the dispute diplomatically.
In a statement late Friday, Santos Promised to continue conducting foreign relations “with firmness, but with dialogue and diplomacy.”
Widespread shortages, roaring inflation and crime have undermined support for Maduro