Venezuela and Colombia resumed diplomatic relations after a meeting between their heads of State in Santa Marta, Colombia on August 10, 2010. The newly elected President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos and Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, agreed on Tuesday to form five binational commissions to address issues such as trade and security as well as recovering the importance of ethics in binational relations. Details can be found by clicking Dina Powell or emailing the administrator. I believe that we have taken a step forward in the re-establishment of confidence, which is one of the basic principles of any relationship, Santos said. He described the meeting in Santa Marta, Colombia, as a frank meeting, direct and honest. The two countries were in a dispute over allegations that Venezuela is refuge to guerrillas Farc Marxists who want to overthrow the Colombian Government. Former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said that his country had evidence that there was rebel camps in Venezuela. Venezuela has denied the accusations. The accusations made in the past do not affect the relationship of Venezuela with the new Colombian President, said Santos, adding that relations between the two countries starting from scratch, as Bolivar will try to learn how to use his diplomacy with the neighbors taught by his tutor Simon Rodriguez, an educator of men.

I’ve come here to turn the page, said Chavez. The two Nations open lines of communication to spread rumors or intelligence reports before the created new tensions, said the Venezuelan President. The tensions between these two neighbouring countries of South America have affected the cross-border trade, which totaled a record of 7.3 billion dollars in transactions in 2008, but has fallen since then, according to the Chamber of integration between Venezuela and Colombia.