Under Uribe, Colombian-Venezuelan relations stumbled, though his successor and Maduro have tried to improve ties. (Photo: Reuters)
Published 7 October 2014
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Legislators say they are responding to allegations that former Colombian president Alvaro Uribe was involved in
the killing of National Assembly member Robert Serra.
The Venezuelan National Assembly (A.N.)
demanded former Colombian president Alvaro Uribe be banned from entering
the country on Tuesday.The head of the A.N. Diosdado Cabello urged all legislators including the opposition to back the move to declare Uribe be declared persona non grata – a diplomatic term meaning “an unwelcome person” in Latin.
“Condemn without fear the death of a Venezuelan,” Cabello stated.
President Nicolas Maduro has alleged he has evidence suggesting Uribe was involved in the killing of Robert Serra – a legislator found dead in his Caracas apartment a week ago.
Both Serra and his partner Maria Herrera were stabbed to death in a premeditated attack, authorities have claimed.
Maduro says the perpetrators were a “band of criminals that ex-President Alvaro Uribe has directed all of his life.”
In the past, Maduro has accused Uribe of involvement in plots to destabilize his country, including alleged assassination attempts on his own life.
Uribe has denied the allegations, though he once admitted he considered declaring war on Venezuela while he was Colombia's president.
During a 2012 interview, Uribe claimed he merely “lacked time” during his term to turn his sights on Caracas. Despite not going to war, under Uribe Colombia's relations with Venezuela came close to collapse.
His successor, current president Juan Manuel Santos has vowed to repair ties with Colombia's eastern neighbor.
Like former president Hugo Chavez, Maduro has likewise advocated for greater bilateral cooperation with Colombia.