Full Breakdown
Paraguay President Calls for Venezuela's Return to Mercosur at UNGA
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Call at the United Nations
On September 23, 2026, Paraguay’s President Santiago Pena addressed the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York and urged the South American trade bloc Mercosur to reintegrate Venezuela. He also announced that Chile’s President José Antonio Kast would meet Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodríguez on the sidelines of the Assembly.
Background on Venezuela’s Mercosur Suspension
Venezuela was suspended from Mercosur in 2017 after failing to meet the bloc’s trade-and-tariff rules. The suspension hardened following the detention of several opposition figures under the ousted President Nicolás Maduro. Diplomatic relations between Paraguay and Venezuela were broken in 2025 after a disputed 2024 election, but Pena’s recent visit to Caracas reopened dialogue.
Official Statements & Responses
Pena’s speech linked Venezuela’s potential return to broader democratic reforms and to Paraguay’s continued support for Taiwan at the United Nations.
Why It Matters
Reintegrating Venezuela could reshape regional trade flows among Mercosur’s major economies—Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay—while signaling a collective push for democratic standards in the region. Paraguay’s advocacy also underscores its unique diplomatic stance as Taiwan’s last formal ally in South America, highlighting the intersection of trade policy and geopolitical alignment.
Verbatim Quote
“I reaffirm here today my support for the full and meaningful participation of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in the United Nations and its specialized agencies. Taiwan has concrete contributions to make to peace, development and human rights,” — Santiago Pena, paraguay's president