Sudden Cancellation of the Venezuelan Acting President's Trip to Colombia

SadaNews - The first foreign trip of the Venezuelan acting president was unexpectedly canceled late on Thursday - Friday, just hours before her scheduled arrival in Colombia.

Delsi Rodriguez was supposed to travel to the border city of Cucuta on Friday to participate in a summit with Colombian President Gustavo Petro.

The French Press Agency quoted a source in the Colombian Foreign Ministry saying, "Everything has been canceled."

The reason for the trip's cancellation was not immediately clear.

Rodriguez took power in January when U.S. special forces arrested former President Nicolas Maduro and his wife and transported them to the United States to face charges of drug trafficking.

Since then, a series of U.S.-backed reforms have begun, despite opposition from hardliner officials opposed to Washington.

She opened Venezuela's massive oil industry to foreign investment, dismissed officials suspected of corruption, and released dozens of political prisoners. According to Bogotá, she has begun pushing Colombian rebels across the border.

Cucuta, located in a border area, is a stronghold for various leftist armed groups involved in drug trafficking, which Colombia has accused Venezuela of funding and protecting.

The summit aimed to showcase improved relations between the two neighboring countries.

U.S. President Donald Trump wished Petro success at the meeting during a phone call on Thursday.