Bogotá, September 1 (teleSUR-RHC)-- Colombia failed to garner the necessary support in favor of their proposal to hold a special OAS meeting to discuss the crisis on the border with Venezuela.

The Colombian government said it would push for a meeting after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro ordered closed several border crossings to crackdown on Colombian paramilitaries and the widespread criminal activities these groups are carrying out at the border between both countries, including extortion, smuggling and kidnapping.
       
The Organization of American States (OAS) members voted 17 in favor of the meeting, falling short of the 18 required to have the meeting called.

The proposal was presented by the Colombian Ambassador to the OAS Andres Gonzalez as numerous countries voiced the perspective that the internal problems of countries should be resolved diplomatically by the parties involved.

Gonzalez said he regretted the situation faced by Colombians residing on the Colombian-Venezuelan border.
 
Earlier on Monday, the Venezuelan Ambassador to the OAS Roy Chaderton Matos reiterated that his country offers refuge to all those Colombians fleeing violence and poverty in their country.

He said the policies of the government of President Nicolas Maduro guarantees social protection to more than 5 million Colombians currently living in Venezuela, which includes 176,000 refugees from Colombia’s internal conflict. Colombians in Venezuela have access to the wide array of social programs available to Venezuelans.