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CARACAS, VENEZUELA — APRIL 24, 2026: Colombian President Gustavo Petro arrived Friday, April 24, in Venezuela to hold a meeting with Acting President Delcy Rodriguez.The visit is the first time a foreign head of state has traveled to the Venezuelan capital since the Jan. 3 US military operation that resulted in the capture of Nicolas Maduro.The meeting signals a significant warming of relations, as Petro, who initially described Maduro's detention as a “kidnapping,” seeks to stabilize the 1,240-mile shared border and integrate the two economies under Venezuela's new temporary leadership.Border security dominated the agenda as both leaders emphasized that the transition in Caracas will not slow efforts to dismantle drug-trafficking groups.Rodriguez confirmed that the two nations agreed to develop joint military plans and immediate intelligence-sharing mechanisms."Drug trafficking groups should know that we are taking decisive steps to combat these crimes," Rodriguez said from Miraflores Palace, or the president’s house. "Both countries have agreed to establish mechanisms for gathering intelligence immediately."Beyond security, the delegations finalized the third meeting of the Colombian-Venezuelan Neighborhood Commission, resulting in at least seven cooperation agreements. A major theme of the discussion was economic self-sufficiency within the Andean region.Discussions focused on "import substitution," encouraging both to source products from each other rather than external markets. The agreements covered energy, health and environmental issues, with Rodriguez emphasizing that the two nations are "one people" reconnecting for commercial development.(Footage by Julio Alexander Urribarri Hidalgo/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)