HAVANA (AP) — Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos held talks with President Raul Castro on Wednesday amid a controversy over whether Cuba will be allowed to participate in a regional summit, but left indicating that an invitation is not forthcoming.

Santos (pictured) also visited convalescing Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, who underwent cancer surgery in Havana last week, and said he seemed in good spirits and was planning to return to Venezuela next week.

Members of the leftist Bolivarian Alliance, or ALBA, demanded last month that Cuba be included in the April 14-15 Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Colombia, but stopped short of threatening a boycott while urging Santos’ government to extend an invitation.

As host, Colombia gets the final decision.

“As we have said from the beginning, (the summit) is a matter that requires consensus, a consensus that unfortunately we have not been able to find,” Santos said at Havana’s international airport Wednesday night prior to departing.

“We made it clear to President Castro that although we truly appreciate his desire to be part of this gathering, under such circumstances without having reached consensus it is very difficult to extend an invitation to him.”

Santos thanked Castro for his expressing a desire not to create problems for the summit or for Colombia, and also said he respects other nations’ wish for Cuba to take part in regional gatherings.

“Colombia hopes that the situation of Cuba, its participation, be discussed in a constructive manner and respectfully at the Cartagena summit.”