"There is no question whether to let him arrive or not. I am not recognizing Nicolas Maduro as the legitimate president of Venezuela. As long as I am the president of Colombia, he will not visit the country as the president of Venezuela. The next president will determine the further relations with him," Duque told the Caracol radio broadcaster.
In 2019, Duque recognized Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the president of Venezuela.
In January 2019, Venezuela was plunged into a political crisis when Guaido, former head of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, proclaimed himself interim president in an attempt to oust re-elected President Maduro from power.
The United States and most Western countries endorsed Guaido and imposed crippling sanctions on Venezuela. The restrictions specifically targeted the country's oil and financial industries. Russia, China, Turkey, and several other nations have supported Maduro.