IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Acting Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Charles E. Summers Jr. provided the following readout: 

Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan met with Colombian Vice President Marta Lucia Ramirez to reaffirm the close partnership between the United States and Colombia and to discuss the crisis in Venezuela.

Secretary Shanahan thanked Vice President Ramirez for Colombia's support in addressing the crisis, and praised the robust military partnership between the nations. 

Secretary Shanahan described the situation in Venezuela as "one of the most critically important challenges to our hemisphere's peace and prosperity." The leaders pledged to work together to seek a peaceful resolution to the crisis, and to ensure that malign actors are not able to further destabilize the situation.

Secretary Shanahan congratulated Colombia on its NATO Global Partnership, and recognized Colombian counter-narcotics efforts.