South American Presidents Take Break in Brasilia Summit

After noon on Tuesday, the presidents of eleven South American countries ended their first working session in Brasilia, where the summit convened by President Lula Silva to discuss options to enhance regional integration is taking place.

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The summit gathers presidents Alberto Fernandez (Argentina), Luis Arce (Bolivia), Gabriel Boric (Chile), Gustavo Petro (Colombia), Guillermo Lasso (Ecuador), Irfaan Ali (Guyana), Mario Abdo (Paraguay), Chan Santokhi (Suriname), Luis Lacalle (Uruguay), and Nicolas Maduro (Venezuela). Peru is represented by the Ministers Council President Alberto Otarola.

"The South American countries summit is an important meeting platform for the union of our continent's peoples, who jointly assume the geopolitical challenges of today's world," President Maduro said at the beginning of the day.

"Twelve South American countries meet today. This has not happened for almost 10 years. All regions of the world have common forums. Let's move forward respecting our differences and sovereignty," President Lula da Silva tweeted.

The tweet reads, "Brazil resumes its leadership in South America and Latin America. Presidents of South American countries meet with Lula and are expected to discuss the reorganization of UNASUR. How good it is to see the Giant once again as a world protagonist."

"Regional unity should be a State policy in each of the South American countries. Let's learn from our mistakes. Being divided was useless," the Argentine President Fernandez said.

"Let us make the operation of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) more agile and let us be the architects of our destiny," he stressed.

Before heading to lunch, they took a group photo at the Itamaraty Palace, headquarters of the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Later, they will resume work in a reserved session.

Once this international event ends at 4:00 p.m. local time, the South American presidents will go to the seat of Executive branch to take part in a dinner at 6:30 p.m.