Colombia appoints new ambassador to Venezuela

Ricardo Montenegro, former Bogotá’s business attache to Caracas, was assigned as Colombia’s Acting Ambassador to Venezuela. The decision was made by President Juan Manuel Santos and Foreign Minister María Ángela Holguín. Both accepted the resignation of former Ambassador, José Fernando Bautista, who quit on Monday over his alleged implication in a mayor corruption scandal in Bogotá, for his apparent links to the Nule Group. Bautista is accused of sending gifts to members of that group, who are currently in prison for corruption in public contracting in Bogotá.