The event, organised by Colombian star Juanes, took place at the Simon Bolivar bridge that links the two nations.

The show was in response to the bitter row provoked by Colombia's raid on a Colombian rebel camp inside Ecuador.

Venezuela and Ecuador briefly broke off ties after the 1 March attack and sent troops to their respective borders.

Venezuelans and Colombians alike mingled on the border to listen to a host of Latin American and Spanish Ecuador border raid probe begins ...
Two detained Americans leave for United States ... musicians.

The concert began with a joint performance by children from the two countries.

Citizens

"This is a celebration of the union between Ecuador, Venezuela and Colombia," said Colombian singer Carlos Vives from the stage as he began his performance.

He also appealed to Colombia's Farc rebels to release the hostages they are holding as part of their long-running conflict with the Colombian state.

Among the other performers were Ricardo Montaner from Venezuela, Juan Luis Guerra from the Dominican Republic and Juan Fernando Velasco from Ecuador.

Spanish singers Alejandro Sanz and Miguel Bose also took part.

"We are all citizens who believe that the future of a country is not only a matter for a president, a government but also for us. We are part of it - the movement of citizens," said Latin Grammy award-winning Juanes from the main stage.

He had the idea for the show in the wake of the 1 March raid when Colombia attacked a camp set up by Farc rebels inside Ecuadorean territory.

A leading rebel commander and some two dozen other people were killed in the raid.

Ecuador and Venezuela broke off diplomatic ties with Colombia in the worst diplomatic row in the region for years and sent extra troops to their respective borders.

Tensions were eased at a regional summit in the Dominican Republic several days later.

(BBC)

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