As typical neighbors, the relations of Venezuela, Colombia, and Guyana have fluctuated between cordiality and hostility; this is largely due to divergent political and ideological allegiances. In the 1800s, Simon Bolívar conquered a considerable portion of South America, called it Gran Colombia, and asserted his Bolivarian ideology (including Latin American integration). Gran Colombia included Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Panama. However, the Confederate Empire collapsed under the Separatist Wars, and Colombia declared its independence on July 20, 1810. On the one hand, as the United States' most loyal Latin American ally, Colombia shares close sympathies with the United States, even ratifying the Defense Cooperation Agreement in 2009, which would initiate military cooperation with the United States and establish a US military base. On the other hand, Venezuela continues to express its anti-Western and anti-globalization views, even persuading other Latin American countries, through its diplomacy, to follow the same path and sever their ties with the United States. Both view themselves as a real security threat while Colombia views Venezuela as a country. harboring rebel forces and arming them with sophisticated Russian-made equipment - and Venezuela's mutual suspicions that Colombia was cooperating with the United States in its downfall. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay However, economically, the two countries are interdependent (which has saved their troubled relationship). Venezuela needs Colombian natural gas and dairy products because meat, dairy and sugar have exploded due to socialist restrictions. And Colombia needs Venezuela's cheap oil, as well as state-subsidized goods and food. In addition, falling transport costs greatly facilitate trade thanks to well-developed infrastructure (border crossings). Around 80% of trade between Venezuela and Colombia takes place via its road network, creating some 300,000 jobs. Annual trade between the two countries stood at $7 billion, but as relations cooled, trade volumes fell drastically to just $1 billion around 2009 – the recession year and signing year of the alliance with the United States. In 2015, bilateral trade saw a further contraction when Nicolas Maduro ordered the closure of all open borders between Venezuela and Colombia and a state of emergency was declared at the same time as Venezuelans complained about the widespread crime, corruption and economic failures, placing this responsibility squarely on our shoulders. Colombians. In the 1980s, Colombia's drug trade flourished and gang rivalries peaked and erupted when the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC), National Liberation Army (ELN), and right-wing paramilitary groups took over. confronted. Bloodshed, crime, violence and corruption are leading to the displacement of millions of Colombians, many of whom find refuge in neighboring Venezuela. However, in the 1990s, Colombia suspected Venezuela of collusion with the rebels, financing them, arming them and providing them with refuge – leading to strained relations. On the other hand, Venezuelans attribute the increase in Venezuelan crime rates to Colombian immigration and illegal smuggling – which has.