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By Open Chronicle News Desk with Agencies
BOGOTÁ — Colombian President Gustavo Petro has invited Venezuela’s interim leader Delcy Rodríguez to Colombia for talks, as Bogotá steps up diplomatic efforts to prevent what it describes as “further instability” in its crisis-stricken neighbor.
Speaking Wednesday before supporters gathered in Bolívar Square in the Colombian capital, Petro said he had held direct talks with Rodríguez earlier this week and extended a formal invitation for her to travel to Colombia. Rodríguez assumed the role of interim president earlier this month with the backing of Venezuela’s Supreme Court of Justice and senior military leadership, following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro during US air strikes.
“I spoke two days ago with Delcy, the current president in Venezuela,” Petro told the crowd. “I have known her since the beginning of this entire process. I invited her to Colombia.”
The Colombian leader said his government is pushing for dialogue rather than escalation, warning that Venezuela’s deepening political crisis risks destabilizing the wider region. Petro added that he is proposing a broader international dialogue on Venezuela’s future and said he may raise the initiative directly with US President Donald Trump should the two leaders meet at the White House.
Colombia’s Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio struck a more cautious tone at a press conference on Tuesday, saying Bogotá would refrain from formally recognizing Rodríguez as Venezuela’s interim president until Venezuelans themselves determine their political future.
“Our position is clear,” Villavicencio said. “We will wait for the Venezuelan people and their institutions to define the path forward.”
Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president on January 5 before the National Assembly, days after Maduro’s detention during US military operations targeting the Venezuelan leadership. Her assumption of office has been recognized by some domestic institutions in Venezuela but remains controversial internationally, with several governments adopting a wait-and-see approach.
Colombia, which shares a long and porous border with Venezuela, has been among the countries most affected by the collapse of Venezuela’s economy and governance, hosting millions of Venezuelan migrants and refugees. Petro has repeatedly argued that only negotiated solutions and regional cooperation can prevent a further humanitarian and security crisis.
His outreach to Rodríguez signals Bogotá’s intention to position itself as a mediator at a moment when Venezuela’s political future remains highly uncertain, and international tensions around the country continue to rise.