The foreign ministers of Venezuela and Colombia have met to discuss moves to open up their <br />joint border, a year after Caracas closed crossings in a crackdown on smuggling.<br /><br /> “We have already agreed on preliminary actions to create the right environment for a progressive, gradual opening of the border,” Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez told reporters, standing next to her Colombian counterpart, Maria Angela Holguin.<br /><br /> “We have also been looking at the causes of the problems that have emerged there.”<br /><br /> Recent temporary border openings have seen tens of thousands of Venezuelans stream into Colombia to buy items scarce in their own country, which is facing an unprecedented economic crisis.<br /><br /> Venezuelans are so desperate they are swarming over the border to buy food https://t.co/wBORKpkVSC— The Independent (@Independent) 26 juillet 2016<br /><br /> Opponents are seeking a recall referendum that could oust Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, claiming his socialist government is to blame for the mess. He puts it down to the fall in oil prices.<br /><br /> Maduro was also present at Thursday’s foreign ministers’ meeting in Caracas.<br />
