Actualité - UNASUR: political integration of South American nations• Adopted at Energy Summit in Venezuela

PORLAMAR, Venezuela, April 16. — South American presidents agreed today to dub the process of political integration of the region’s 12 countries "UNASUR," Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez announced.

The leaders toured the area where petrochemical plants are to be built.

"No name had been decided on, and we decided today on the name we are going to give it: UNASUR, Union of South American Nations, a tremendous idea," Chávez remarked to journalists at the end of a Political Dialogue with his colleagues from countries in the region who are attending the 1st South American Energy Summit.

Chávez added that it was also decided that the Union would have a permanent secretariat in Quito, Ecuador, affirmed that issues were discussed in-depth, and that the rulers had reached consensus.

They also discussed the need for a South American energy treaty that can guarantee oil, gas and petrochemical energy to all South American countries. "This is very important because the world is moving toward an energy crisis," Chávez said, according to EFE.

(Granma International)