Lenin Moreno will travel to Chile to form Prosur, a new regional organization

Ecuadornews:

The new block seeks to replace the Union of South American Nations (Unasur), which is currently facing its worst political and economic crisis since its formation in 2008. Ecuador is processing the recovery of the headquarters in Quito.

Ecuador reaffirms its integrating vocation. That is why it will be part of Prosur, a new regional union block. The body was proposed last February by the president of Chile, Sebastián Piñera, and the first Colombian President, Iván Duque. Prosur will replace the Unasur, constituted in 2008 by governments similar to the Socialism of the XXI Century, which is currently on the verge of collapse. 

On Thursday, March 21, President Lenin Moreno will travel to Santiago de Chile to participate in the Presidential Summit to define the construction of Prosur. The appointment will be this Friday. The Head of State will be accompanied by three officials: the Chancellor, José Valencia; the private secretary of the Presidency, Juan Sebastián Roldán; and the secretary of Communication, Andrés Michelena. 

In the Chilean capital will be added the delegation of the Ecuadorian ambassador, Homero Arellano. Moreno will share in this summit his vision on the promotion of new integration spaces to improve relations between all the States of the region. For him, the paths of cooperation will be connected in different areas of common interest, related to the economy, prevention of natural disasters, security, governance, infrastructure, health and education. 

Ecuador will also propose that the organization moves away from political flags in a way that encourages projects in favor of all South Americans. Along the same lines, Colombia will propose that one of Prosur’s missions be the defense of democracy in the region. Instead, the host country will recommend that this body avoid ideologies, bureaucracy and be open to all countries in South America. 

For Chile’s chancellor and writer Roberto Ampuero, the meeting aims to build a new organization without replicating the structure of Unasur. “Neither will have headquarters where millions of dollars are invested,” he explained. At least seven countries will attend this meeting. 

The Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, was not invited. Piñera justified that position by recognizing that the president does not comply with the principles of “full validity” of democracy and the rule of law, and respect for freedoms and rights. 

The divorce of Unasur 

The decision of Ecuador to separate from Unasur and join Prosur is described as a “true foreign policy” by international analysts. According to the expert on regional issues, Carlos Estarellas, Ecuador realized that the mistake in Unasur was to try to impose the so-called Socialism of the 21st century in South America. “To form a bloc should not include ideology, but the real problems that the region is going through,” he said. 

The expert in international relations, Jorge Alcívar, stressed that the birth of Prosur means the disappearance of Unasur. “The Union of South American Nations will cease to be a strong bloc and will become a mere ideological forum that defends democracies questioned by corruption and dictatorial dyes in recent years,” said the analyst. 

For the international expert and professor at a university in Portoviejo, Teresa Salinas, there is a risk that in a few years the new organism will disappear with the emergence of new governments of different ideological tendencies. “There they will say that Prosur did not help at all,” she said. 

While working in this new organization, the situation within Unasur is more complex. The budget for this year is approximately $ 9.7 million. That amount is lower if you compare the deficit of $ 20 million that that organism carries in recent years. Inside the institution, they assure that this was due to the lack of economic contributions from member countries. This financial imbalance also affects the labor regime. For example, the operation of the General Secretariat would involve the hiring of 54 people. Currently about 30 employees work. 

Unasur 

Active countries 

Five countries (Venezuela, Bolivia, Uruguay, Suriname and Guyana) of the 12 that make up this regional organization are still active. The others, who stopped participating in activities of that entity, are those that promote the creation of Prosur. 

60 million dollars was the cost of construction and equipment of the headquarters of Unasur, in Quito. 

The statue of Kirchner 

The Government manages the removal of the statue of Néstor Kirchner, first secretary of UNASUR, from the headquarters of that organization in Quito. There the university will work for the indigenous people. (I)

Source: https://www.eltelegrafo.com.ec/noticias/politica/3/leninmoreno-prosur-chile