On X, the Venezuelan leader recalled this Thursday marks the 16th anniversary of the signing of the Constitutive Treaty of the regional integration bloc, which came into being on a day like today in 2008.

“Venezuela reaffirms its commitment to work for the definitive unity for the development of the Great Homeland,” he said.

On an audio-visual, Commander Hugo Chavez (1954-2013) declared ‘the concept, the idea and the realization of the South American union was born,’ which could well, he stated, be the founding engine of the world’s changes. ‘Let us fearlessly lay the cornerstones of South American freedom, to hesitate is to lose ourselves, a purely South American concept,’ Chavez urged.

The Bolivarian leader assured that only union will make us free ‘this immense continent, this great South American people.’

Maduro stressed on the video that UNASUR is too positive for us – all the governments of the bloc – which ratifies the political usefulness and necessity of the union of South America to ‘face the times that are developing towards a greatest horizon for our region.’

Maduro also stressed the significance of the Union of South American Nations always having the capacity for dialogue in diversity and for understanding each other, but most of all, ‘to understand that together we exist,’ he noted.

In this regard, he called for joint reflection and to make forceful decisions in defense of the dignity of our region.

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