The letter further exposes the split within Mercosur over Venezuela
The presidents of Argentina, Javier Milei, of Paraguay, Santiago Peña, and of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, issued this Saturday, 20, a statement that expresses “deep concern about the serious migratory, humanitarian and social crisis in Venezuela” and calls for the restoration of democracy in the country.
The text is also signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bolivia, Fernando Aramayo, and by high-ranking authorities from Ecuador and Peru. Everyone was present this Saturday earlier at the 67th Summit of Heads of State of Mercosur and Associated States, held in Foz do Iguaçu (PR).
They “urged the Venezuelan authorities to comply with international standards on the matter, to immediately release and guarantee due legal process and the physical integrity of all citizens arbitrarily deprived of their liberty.”
The letter further exposes the split within Mercosur over Venezuela. The bloc’s joint statement made no mention of the country, which has been suspended from the customs union since 2016.
Before the statement, in the speech that closed the summit, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva warned of the risks of external intervention in Venezuela. In turn, Milei endorsed United States military pressure against the government of dictator Nicolás Maduro.
Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia are States Parties to Mercosur. Ecuador, Panama and Peru are Associated States.
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