Venezuela Proposes Bilateral Commission to Resolve Maritime Dispute with Colombia

Venezuela called for the convocation of a bilateral commission Tuesday to diplomatically resolve a maritime territorial dispute with Colombia. The announcement follows an official note of complaint issued by the Colombian Foreign Ministry on Friday, protesting a recent Venezuelan decree designating the strategic maritime strip located at the entrance to oil-rich Lake Maracaibo an “operative zone of integral maritime and insular defense”. The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry responded with a press release yesterday, rejecting the “anti-Venezuelan hate campaign promoted from Bogota by local oligarchic factors” but holding open the possibility of a diplomatic resolution. “Venezuela is willing to duly address the pending delimitation [of borders] with Colombia.” More…