Venezuela pledges to solve difference with Colombia through diplomacy

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Tuesday night that Venezuela and Colombia will sort out differences through diplomacy in the wake of rows that caused a partial shutdown of their border and a recall of their ambassadors.

In a weekly television program, Maduro described his meeting on Monday in Ecuador with his Colombian counterpart Juan Manuel Santos as "tense, frank and with positive results" which yielded an agreement on peaceful coexistence, the future opening of the border and an immediate redeployment of their ambassadors.

"In Ecuador we opened a frank process of true dialogue to promote a new type of relations at the border, free of paramilitary violence, smuggling and economic war against our nation," said Maduro.

The Venezuelan leader added that both governments should seek peaceful coexistence despite their differences in ideology as well as in visions for economic and social development.

Ministers of both nations are set to meet on Wednesday in Caracas to discuss smuggling and violence along their border.

On Aug. 19, following an attack on Venezuelan troops by alleged Colombian paramilitary groups, Maduro ordered a partial shutdown of the border crossings to Colombia and the deportation of over 1,100 Colombians to their homeland, leading to a border crisis between the two countries.

Venezuela has insisted it was not an anti-Colombian move but rather a way to "clean" the area taken by violent groups.

Over 5.6 million Colombians live legally in Venezuela after Maduro's mentor, late President Hugo Chavez, granted them residency and access to social programs, including free housing and health care. Endi