The Union of South American States (UNASUR), a regional intergovernmental organization, welcomed Brazil back on Friday after a four-year absence.
According to a statement from Planalto, or the President’s Office, the law approved by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will go into force on May 5.
Together with Mercosur (Southern Common Market) and the Andean community, it was stated that UNASUR is a mechanism “to promote integration between South American countries”; this free trade region also covers social, cultural, scientific-technological, and political realms.
According to the declaration, South America must integrate and come together in order to achieve social equality, sustainable development, and the welfare of its citizens.
Despite the fact that the former union leader has been a strong supporter of reconstructing UNASUR in recent months, Da Silva announced his drive to reorganize UNASUR to Paraguayan President Mario Abdo Bentez in March.
During the administration of the far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil quit UNASUR in 2019.
In March, Argentina expressed its intention to join UNASUR, with President Alberto Fernandez highlighting the necessity of regional cohesion in the face of several difficulties.
Hugo Chaves, the president of Venezuela, founded UNASUR in 2008 during the pink tide, a period of political upheaval in the region. At its height, the alliance included 12 countries from Latin America.
However, the Lima Group was established in 2017 by a number of right-wing administrations as the area swung to the right.
Then, some nations left UNASUR and joined PROSUR, another international organization that prioritizes economic and social ties. PROSUR is a regional organization that was founded in 1994.