Ground Report

Ranking police, military and intelligence officers from both countries will hold a summit in the city of Cucuta to implement the agreement on fighting drug trafficking signed in early April, Rivera announced in a statement.

Admiral Edgar Cely, commandant  of Colombia’s Armed Forces, said that top officials from the two countries have in the past cooperated in the fight against drug trafficking and guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN) of Colombia

"We have received in public and private, repeated demonstrations from the Venezuelan government that they do not tolerate the presence of delinquents and criminals from Colombia in its territory and act with all diligence against them," the Minister Rivera said.

Venezuela broke diplomatic and trade relations with Colombia after the government of then President Alvaro Uribe accused President Hugo Chavez of hosting ELN and FARC rebels in its territory.

The two countries re-established diplomatic ties last August after a meeting between Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and new Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos.

But, according to aU.S. intelligence source, Colombia may be dealing with a less-than-candid Chavez. There are allegations by the Drug Enforcement Administration that Venezuela cooperates with FARC in its drug trafficking operations including allowing cargo planes filled with cocaine to land and refuel.

In addition, a U.S. intelligence source on a number of occasions has told Law Enforcement Examiner that Iran intelligence agents and members of the terrorist groups such as Hezbollah and al-Qaeda are in Venezuela and other Latin American countries recruiting and training terrorists and rebels.

"There is intelligence that strongly suggests FARC guerrillas are working with Islamic terrorist groups in drug trafficking," said the intel source.