RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The governments of Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay, countries involved in the Forum for South American Progress (PROSUR), have agreed to work closely together to contain the coronavirus pandemic.
Left-wing Venezuela has been excluded from the process.
According to the Chilean government, the agreements include “coordinated and effective protection” of the borders of the member countries and control of the flow of people.
The return of citizens to their respective countries is to be simplified. These measures are intended to prevent the further spread of the novel coronavirus, said Chile’s President Sebastian Piñera following a video conference with his counterparts and the Brazilian Foreign Minister on Monday.
Chile currently holds the presidency of the regional alliance.
As Peru’s Foreign Minister reported, the governments also agreed to carry out joint purchases of hospital supplies and medicines, “so that a better price can be obtained and procurement made easier,” said Minister Antonio Rivas. In general, the free circulation of goods and commodities was enabled, he stressed.
Coordination with financial organizations such as the Inter-American Development Bank and the Latin American Development Bank would also be increased in order to support the regional economy.
Together with the Foreign and Health Ministers, the Presidents agreed to maintain a permanent communication channel to exchange information from their respective countries on the coronavirus.
The PROSUR regional alliance was founded in 2019 by eight right-wing South American countries as a parallel project to the left-wing Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) founded by Chávez and Lula. Bolivia, Surinam and Uruguay took part at that time only as observers.
Venezuela had been denied access from the outset. Even now, the left-wing country was not included in the arrangements and agreements on joint action against the Coronavirus pandemic.