Colombia president laments death of ex-Venezuelan president

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos on Sunday expressed grief over the death of former Venezuelan president Carlos Andres Perez who died on Saturday in Miami, United States.

Santos also sent condolences to the family of Perez, with whom he said he had a "great personal relationship," according to a statement posted on the Colombian president's website.

Perez, 88, ruled Venezuela twice between 1974-1979 and 1989-1993. He was a critic of current president Hugo Chavez and had been living in exile in the United States since 2001.

Chavez on Sunday offered condolences over the death of Perez, but he also criticized the former president's governing style.

Source: Xinhua