Integration Marks Bolivarian Birthday
History captured the words of Liberator Simon Bolivar who, disappointed by betrayal and disagreements, said on his deathbed that he had plowed the sea.

Bolivar was referring to the failure of his proposal of regional integration.

At that time he could not imagine that the revival of a projected Union of the South would mark his 223rd birthday, on Jul 24.

The spirit was shown by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez during the recent Summit of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), when he compared new airs in the bloc to a revival of the integration process.

The meeting was useful for Venezuela´s joining as a full member of MERCOSUR, in a move that has been described by experts as very significant, as it takes up again the true conscience of the Greater Homeland, outlined since the 19th century.

In this regard, Chavez agreed with his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva that pro-union tasks should be carried out gradually, patiently. However, he predicted progress towards achieving a megastate in Latin America, including a single constitution and currency.

With Venezuela´s joining, MERCOSUR currently represents 78 percent of the region´s GDP, which confirms the bloc as the advance party of the pro-integration movement and a world power pole.

One of Venezuela´s purposes in joining MERCOSUR is to contribute to reformulate trade and give more social content to the organization to turn it into a driving force for the process of economic complementation and asymmetry removal.