Relationship dossier
Colombia
Venezuela
Relationship assessment
A close-neighbor relationship marked by renewed engagement but persistent security and political strains.
Colombia toward Venezuela
-35Colombia severed diplomatic relations with Venezuela in 2019 under President Iván Duque, recognizing opposition leader Juan Guaidó as interim president. Under President Gustavo Petro, Colombia restored diplomatic relations, reopened the land border, and pursued renewed bilateral engagement.
Venezuela toward Colombia
-35Venezuela severed diplomatic relations with Colombia in 2019 amid the dispute over recognition of Juan Guaidó. The Maduro government later restored relations with Colombia under President Gustavo Petro, reopening border crossings and resuming diplomatic engagement.
Overall relationship
-30The relationship combines extensive cross-border interdependence with recurring diplomatic ruptures and security disputes. Restoration of relations and border reopening under the Petro and Maduro governments reduced the rupture, but concerns over armed groups and political differences prevent a sustained close partnership.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Colombia and Venezuela have deep cross-border ties, but relations have repeatedly been strained by disputes over border security, armed groups, migration, and political recognition. The governments severed diplomatic relations in 2019, and the border was later reopened after Gustavo Petro took office in Colombia and restored diplomatic engagement. Cooperation has resumed, though political and security disagreements remain consequential.
Areas of tension
- Disputes over political recognition and Venezuela’s political process
- Armed groups and security conditions along the shared border
- Border closures and interruptions to cross-border movement
Key developments
Colombia severed diplomatic relations with Venezuela amid its recognition of Juan Guaidó as interim president; Venezuela also announced a break in relations.
Colombia and Venezuela restored diplomatic relations after Gustavo Petro took office, and reopened their principal land border crossing.
Major uncertainties
- The durability and practical scope of renewed security and diplomatic cooperation are uncertain.
- The governments’ approaches to armed groups operating near the border remain a source of tension.