Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio announced an upcoming meeting with her Venezuelan counterpart, Yván Gil, to address the situation of Colombians detained in the neighboring country.
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The bilateral meeting will take place within the framework of the Fourth Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the European Union (EU), which is being held in Santa Marta, Colombia.
In statements to the media, Foreign Minister Villavicencio assured that the meeting with the Venezuelan regime’s foreign minister will take place on Sunday, November 9, 2025.
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The main objective of the Colombian diplomat is to secure the release of her compatriots detained in Venezuela.
“We are talking about eighteen Colombians, including an Ecuadorian police officer”, the official said.
Villavicencio added that, although other bilateral issues will be discussed, the priority is “to seek the release of all these detainees.”
Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio, Chancellor of Colombia. Foto:Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Colombians detained in Venezuela, with no complete solution
The situation of Colombians detained in Venezuela has been a central point on the bilateral diplomatic agenda over the past year. The most significant progress occurred at the end of October 2025, when the Venezuelan government released a group of 17 Colombian nationals who were being held in El Rodeo I prison, on the outskirts of Caracas.
According to reports by EL TIEMPO, this release was the result of months of “patient and silent dialogue” and required the personal intervention of Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio, who welcomed the group at the Tienditas border bridge.
CELAC-EU summit started this Sunday 10th of november. Foto:
Most of these detainees, who had been in prison for over a year, had been accused by the Venezuelan authorities of being “mercenaries” or of participating in alleged conspiracy plots.
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However, their relatives and the Colombian Foreign Ministry repeatedly denounced that these individuals were being held without due process and, for months, were denied consular assistance.
Foreign Minister of Venezuela Yván Gil. Foto:Cortesía
Following the October release, it is estimated that at least twenty Colombians remain detained in Venezuela. At the time, the Colombian Foreign Ministry assured that the repatriation of this group was only a “first phase” and that work was continuing for the rest.
It is in this context that the meeting between Villavicencio and his Venezuelan counterpart, Yván Gil, will take place on November 9 to negotiate the release of the remaining group, which, according to the foreign minister’s announcement, numbers 18 people.
*This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by a journalist.
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