Venezuela recalls ambassador from Colombia amid border crisis

Venezuela on Thursday night recalled its ambassador in Bogota amid a diplomatic spat over the border and in response to Colombia's recall of its ambassador earlier in the day.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said on Twitter that President Nicolas Maduro had ordered the recall of Ambassador Ivan Rincon.

"We'll revise our relations with Colombia due to the aggression suffered by our people because of paramilitary groups and an economic war," the minister said in another post.

"We regret that the progress made at the meeting of foreign ministers yesterday (Wednesday) in Cartagena is frustrated by the arrogance of the Colombian authorities."

But he added that Venezuela favors dialogue and diplomacy in this impasse and will continue to work for a border free of violence and illegal activities.

Venezuela last week closed the border with Colombia in the western state of Tachira after three army officers were wounded by suspected paramilitary gunmen operating in Colombia.

Nearly 1,100 Colombians living in Venezuela have been deported since the border closure and Bogota said between 5,000 and 6,000 more have left Venezuela voluntarily.

Maduro said the deportations were part of a crackdown on Colombian paramilitaries who spread violence in the region, smuggle fixed-price goods from Venezuela and engage in drug trafficking on the 2,219-km border.

Venezuelan security forces have arrested in the last week 10 paramilitary leaders in the border area. Endi