Venezuela Ratifies Willingness to Return to Andean Community

Venezuela is determined to rejoin the Andean Community of Nations (CAN) “with all our productive and commercial capacity and a growing economy,” President Nicolás Maduro declared on Thursday, November 3.

“The time has come for us to return to the Andean Community of Nations, to build with our brothers and sisters of Andean South America,” the Venezuelan president said. He expressed hope that as members of the CAN, Venezuela and Colombia can build a strong economic zone in South America.

Colombia’s President Petro Meets With President Maduro at Miraflores Palace

The return of Venezuela to the CAN, a regional integration mechanism created in 1969, of which Venezuela was a founding member, was discussed during the first working meeting between the presidents of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, and his Colombian counterpart Gustavo Petro, on Tuesday, November 1.

Venezuela y Colombia están en proceso de elevar sus capacidades productivas para construir una gran Zona Económica en Suramérica, informó el Pdte. @NicolasMaduro pic.twitter.com/ZiJRPgLRKI

— Prensa Presidencial (@PresidencialVen) November 3, 2022

In this regard, the Venezuelan president stated that Venezuela’s return represents “good news for South America, good news for the CAN,” thus laying the foundations for the integration of productive capacities.

Colombia-Venezuela Trade Grows by 95.5% Since Border Reopening

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has called on the governments of Chile, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Peru, the current members of the CAN, to accept Venezuela’s re-entry to the CAN “as a full member with all powers, rights and duties.”

Venezuela announced its withdrawal from the CAN in 2006, after Colombia and Peru, then governed by Álvaro Uribe Vélez and Alejandro Toledo, respectively, began negotiations for Free Trade Agreements with the United States. The exit was finally made official in 2011.

(La Radio del Sur) by Manuel Cedillo

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

OT/SC/AF