Correa: South Am Unity Inevitable

Porlamar, NU Online
At his arrival Monday on Margarita Island to participate in the first South American Energy Summit, Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa said that regional integration is already inevitable.

Welcomed by Venezuelan Vice President Jorge Rodriguez, Correa recalled that the majority of South American people were united in the past by deeds of heroic liberation, and now the idea of a common present and future cannot be postponed.<>

Correa told those present to notice how many similarities the Venezuelan and Ecuadorian flags share, both have yellow, blue and red stripes, as does the Colombian flag.

That s one more reason to strengthen the ties that united us centuries ago, he noted.

This Summit, he pointed out, will be a very important step to achieve definitive South American union and later, hopefully, also a necessary Latin American and Caribbean integration.

Before Correa s arrival, Venezuelan and Bolivian Presidents Hugo Chavez and Evo Morales welcomed Presidents Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (Brazil) and Nicanor Duarte (Paraguay) at Barcelona s air base in Anzoategui State.

These four South American presidents participated in the laying of the foundation stone of plants at the Gen. Jose Antonio Anzoategui Petrochemical Complex, a joint project between Venezuelan Petrochemical enterprise (PEQUIVEN) and Brazilian Brasquen.

Today and tomorrow the five presidents will discuss the first South American Energy Summit at which another seven presidents or their representatives from 12 South American countries, plus Trinidad and Tobago, will participate in Porlamar, capital of the Venezuelan state Nueva Esparta. (pl/dar)