Colombia to convene extraordinary UNASUR meeting on border crisis with Venezuela

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos Thursday called for consultations in Caracas about the ongoing crisis with neighboring Venezuela that has ordered to close its border.

"I have always given priority to dialogue and diplomatic means, but I cannot allow Colombians and the government to be treated this way by Venezuela," Santos said in a press conference.

Santos also ordered Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin to convene an extraordinary meeting of foreign ministers of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR).

"We want to tell and show the world what is happening, because this is totally unacceptable," he said.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro recalled his ambassador in Bogota to give further instructions about the border situation, the Venezuelan foreign minister said on social media.

Santos noted that Maduro is not willing to engage in dialogue after Venezuelan officials' absence at a bilateral meeting arranged by Ombudsman Jorge Armando Otalora.

Meanwhile, Santos called the deportation of thousands of Colombians by the Venezuelan government "shameful."

"We told the Venezuelan government that this is unacceptable behavior," Santos said, and insisted that trucks be allowed to enter Venezuela to pick up the belongings of the deported Colombians.

The recalling of ambassadors is the first formal protest action amid a bilateral crisis, one of the most drastic measures taken by the two governments in the midst of a diplomatic crisis.

Maduro said he will reopen the border if Colombia bans smuggling consumer goods from Venezuela, which causes shortages in the border region. Endi