Venezuela stance may hit approval of Colombia’s Petro

Significance The Colombian government has called on Caracas to be transparent about the voter tally, but Petro has long been criticised for his leftist ideological alignment with Maduro. The unwinding of the crisis will likely impact Petro’s domestic and regional standing. Impacts Any potential gas importation deal between Colombia and Venezuela would require US authorisation to bypass existing sanctions. Disagreements over Venezuela may spread to other diplomatic arenas such as the UN, further dividing the region ideologically. Petro’s Venezuela stance may undermine his aspirations for regional leadership on issues such as drug reform and the environment.