Latin American and Caribbean countries to set up regional bloc in December
Monday September 26 2011 | 10:11 AM

Venezuela´s Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro said that positive steps are being taken towards the setting up of a new Latin American and Caribbean political and economic bloc, based on the ideals of Simon Bolivar. 

Maduro expressed satisfaction for the results of his meeting with representatives of all 14 CARICOM member nations in New York on Thursday, in the context of the 66th Session of the UN General Assembly.

“We begin to see the results of what we are convinced is the new world to be built: true integration of our regions to lay the foundations of a new economy, wipe out poverty and the problems of underdevelopment and colonialism, as well as to set up a powerful political bloc that will be respected in the world, which was the idea of Liberator Simon Bolivar implemented by the ongoing Bolivarian project of President Hugo Chavez,” he said.

Maduro, who was accompanied by Venezuelan ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS), Jorge Valero, said that the meeting with the representatives of the Caribbean Community also raised the need to advance the consolidation of economic and commercial agreements between the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of our Americas (ALBA) and CARICOM, in order to pave the way for a common Latin American and Caribbean economic zone.

During the meeting, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who concluded a chemotherapy session in Cuba and left for his country on Thursday evening, called on the phone the CARICOM representatives to reiterate an invitation to the Third Latin American and Caribbean Summit, slated for December 2 and 3 in Caracas, which will be the founding scenario of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).

In this regard, Maduro recalled that due to the health situation undergone by Chavez the initial date to hold the summit was put off. However, he added, the Venezuelan head of state expressed his confidence of his successful recovery process and sent an encouraging message about the December meeting.