New regional bloc created in South American region

The Presidents of Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Peru signed a declaration to create a regional bloc of nations they say is open to any country, regardless of ideology, to collaborate on solving regional problems.

The declaration was signed during a summit in the summit in Santiago, Chile.

Chile and Colombia had led the push for the new political grouping after criticism that the previous regional bloc, called Unasur, failed to take action on Venezuela.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was not among the leaders invited to the summit in Santiago.

Some leaders have criticized the organizers for leaving out Maduro and instead inviting Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, recognized by many countries as head of state after he assumed the interim presidency in January. Guaido did not send a representative to the summit.

Via Reuters