• Submitted by: lena campos
• Society
• 03 / 06 / 2013

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Hugo Chavez led his people on the path of reivindication and the restoration of dignity for all the countries of the region, said the Presidents of Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay.

In a joint communique, Presidents Cristina Fernandez (Argentina), Dilma Rousseff (Brasil) and José Mujica (Uruguay), members of the South Common Market (MERCOSUR) now with its pro tempre presidency in Montevideo, expressed their dismay for the death of the Venezuelan leader.

They pointed out that the figure of Hugo Chavez "will be in the collective memory of Latin America, as a great fighter for the autonomy in the international arena."

The three Presidents also recognized Chavez as a promoter of the construction and strenghtening of regional integration, so the best homage for him is to "preserve his legacy, militancy and commitment with the progress of the regional integration process."

Chavez fostered the entry of Venezuela as a MERCOSUR full member.

Raul Sendic, president of Uruguayan state oil company ANCAP, son of the founder of the National Liberation Movement (TUPAMAROS), said the Bolivarian leader was a very fraternal, human and close friend of Uruguay.

Shortly before going to Caracas, Sendic said he met with Chavez many times, as much in Uruguay as in Venezuela.

"For us, this is a sad news because Chavez had a very tight relation with Uruguay and with ANCAP", said Sendic to a national radio station.

The same way, Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Kintto Lucas said that only leaders of a great size like Hugo Chavez may have such a capacity to link with their people.

After remembering several meetings with the leader of the Bolivarian Revolution, Lucas pointed out that ChavezÂ? death is a loss for Venezuela and the Latin American integration.

"Nevertheless, there is a process started in Venezuela, a process still walking its own way," he concluded.

Source: Prensa Latina