Colombia and Venezuela announced they will request full membership to Mercosur, a decision that could modify the political and economic map of South America's main regional bloc. In this context, the proposal from Colombia and Venezuela appears as new pressure on the regional agenda and on the integration rules that govern the body. Joint initiatives in the areas of energy, border security, and cooperation to combat drug trafficking in the border area between the two countries were also discussed during the meeting. The potential expansion of Mercosur reopens the debate on the political and institutional balance within the bloc, as any accession must be approved by the consensus of current members. The announcement was made by Colombian President Gustavo Petro following a ministerial meeting between both countries held in Caracas. According to the head of state, the initiative includes two steps: on the one hand, Colombia will present its formal request to become a full member, and on the other, it will push to lift the moratorium that has suspended Venezuela within the bloc. "We will ask that the moratorium be lifted so that Venezuela can enter Mercosur as a full member, and we will make an application for entry as a full member," Petro expressed on social media. Mercosur is currently integrated by Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay as founding members, while Bolivia recently joined and Venezuela has remained suspended since 2016 after the application of the bloc's democratic clause. In the case of Colombia, the country has participated since 2004 as an associated state, which allows it trade agreements with the bloc but without voting rights on decisions, according to the Argentine News Agency. The announcement came after a bilateral meeting between delegations of both governments, which Petro described as "supremely successful".
