Colombia's president says Venezuela gestures could solve border spat

Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos said on Tuesday there had been important gestures made from Venezuela that could help facilitate a meeting with its President Nicolas Maduro in a bid to end a dispute between the two governments. The neighbouring countries have been at odds in the past weeks since Maduro's socialist government closed several major border crossings and deported 1,400 Colombians in what he said was a crackdown on smuggling and crime. As many as 18,000 Colombians have left Venezuela, many claiming they were beaten before wading rivers and crossing bridges with their belongings on their backs. More…