Amidst a deepening political and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, six latin American nations – Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Panama, Paraguay, and Peru – issued a joint declaration Saturday calling for a return to democracy and respect for human rights [[1]]. The move, announced on the sidelines of the mercosur summit in Brazil, highlights growing regional divisions over how to address the situation, especially regarding U.S. involvement and the Venezuelan government’s ongoing suppression of dissent [[3]]. While the declaration signals a stronger stance from some regional players, significant disagreement emerged as Brazil and Uruguay opted not to sign, reflecting concerns over potential external intervention and the impact of U.S. sanctions.
Six Latin American nations issued a joint declaration on Saturday, December 20, 2025, calling for a peaceful restoration of democracy and full respect for human rights in Venezuela. The statement, released on the sidelines of the Mercosur summit, reflects growing regional concern over the political and humanitarian situation in the country.
The declaration was signed by the presidents of Argentina, Javier Milei; Paraguay, Santiago Peña; and Panama, José Raúl Mulino. Authorities representing Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru, who were also attending the Mercosur summit in Foz do Iguazu, Brazil, also added their signatures.
Notably absent from the signatories were Brazil and Uruguay, the two Mercosur members with governments leaning towards progressive policies. According to governmental sources, the declaration was a subject of debate during the bloc’s semi-annual summit.
The six countries expressed “deep concern” over Venezuela’s “grave migratory, humanitarian, and social crisis,” and urged the government of Nicolás Maduro to immediately release all citizens arbitrarily detained and guarantee their due process and physical integrity.
Brazilian officials, according to reports from Argentinian media outlet Todo Noticias, were open to including a reference to human rights in Venezuela but also sought to express concern about the U.S. military deployment in the region and reject what they termed “unilateral coercive measures.”
“Because an agreement could not be reached on these points, the paragraph concerning Venezuela was excluded from the Mercosur declaration, and the other six countries opted to publish their own text,” Todo Noticias reported.
Milei Voices Support for U.S. Military Pressure
The final declaration makes no mention of the United States or its military activities related to Venezuela, and represents a more moderate stance than that publicly advocated by President Milei during the summit in Foz do Iguazu.
During his address to the Mercosur summit, Milei praised the U.S. military pressure on Caracas, stating it was aimed at “liberating the Venezuelan people,” and urged his fellow South American leaders to do the same.
“The time for a timid approach on this matter has passed,” Milei said. “We also urge all other members of the bloc to support this position and strongly condemn this authoritarian experiment.”
In contrast, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the summit’s host, warned that any military intervention in Venezuela would be a catastrophe and set a dangerous precedent for all of South America.
jc (efe, Todo Noticias, Government of Paraguay)
