Colombia urges Venezuela to reconsider decision to close borders

Colombia has urged Venezuela to reopen its borders with its western neighbor after Caracas declared an “indefinite” closure of borders in response to an assault by unidentified assailants on a Venezuelan military patrol. “If it's for security reasons, the response should not be to close the border. It rather should be to cooperate more effectively with Colombian authorities,” said Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos on Saturday. The two countries have the same interest in eliminating gangs of smugglers that operate on the border, and should work more closely together, Santos added. More…