This is what is known about the surprise visit of former Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva to Nicolás Maduro in Caracas

Amid political tension over alleged fraud in the Venezuelan elections of July 28, it caused surprise – even in the Colombian government itself – a Visit of former Foreign Minister Alvaro Leyva to Nicolas Maduro at Miraflores Palace.

The images confirming the meeting were published by Nicolás Maduro himself on the evening of August 28, Just when a month had passed since the disputed elections and the so far insufficient Colombian management to facilitate a negotiated solution to the crisis.

«I met with the former Foreign Minister of Colombia, Dr. Álvaro Leyva, with whom we discussed global geopolitics and the major challenges facing our region. “Unity, brotherhood, cooperation and peace among peoples is and will always be the way forward,” Maduro said.

Instagram photo Nicolas Maduro

What did the meeting between Leyva and Maduro consist of?

The meeting lasted approximately two hours. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil was also present. However, this meeting was held without the approval of the Colombian government but in a personal capacity of Leyva, who has a good relationship with Maduro.

Foreign Ministry sources told THE TIME Leyva’s trip to Caracas caused astonishment. “It was a surprise,” they responded to the query.

However, they understand this recent visit in terms of peace: «Leyva is committed to his peace agenda. He has great influence over the Second Marquetalia», they told this newspaper.

Another person with one of the highest positions in the Foreign Ministry said that “he is a very good interlocutor (Leyva) on peace issues and he is not going to stay still. That is his life project.”

Venezuela is the guarantor of three of the nine spaces for dialogue that the administration has opened in its total peace policy. These are those of the National Liberation Army (ELN), with what is now called the General Staff; of the Jorge Suárez Briceño, Magdalena Medio and Raúl Reyes Front blocks of the FARC – a faction of the dissidents that contributed to Iván Mordisco -, and with the Second Marquetalia, a group that deserted the 2016 Peace Agreement and is led by alias Iván Márquez – a guerrilla leader who has taken refuge in that country.

After Petro proposed an alternation in power in the neighboring country – a kind of national front – as a measure to try to overcome the crisis, an idea that was not well received either there or here, Maduro mentioned the peace process.

“I am the guarantor of the peace negotiations, Venezuela is the guarantor and I will never give opinions on what Colombia should do to overcome the war that is terrible (…) I will never say: Colombia, its government, should do this and post advice on my social networks (…) and we will continue helping Colombia in its peace process without intervening in internal affairs,” he said.

Following the confirmation of Luis Gilberto Murillo’s appointment as foreign minister, former foreign minister Leyva has fully immersed himself in the peace process and has been a defender of the national agreement. He recently met with former president Álvaro Uribe.

Opposition protests have not ceased since the June 28 elections – Photo Getty Images

Contribution to Colombia’s management of the post-electoral crisis?

Another question raised by Leyva’s visit is whether he was also seeking to contribute to the search for a solution to the crisis following the elections.

So far there is no confirmation of a conversation in this regard. However, the Foreign Ministry told The Weather that “anyone who can collaborate to resolve the crisis we are trying to help with is welcome.”