Union of South American Nations in Mitad del Mundo, Ecuador, where the cornerstone was laid for the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Union. In April 2018, six countries suspended membership: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay and Peru. In August 2018, Colombia announced its withdrawal from the organization. At the Third South American Summit on 8 December 2004, presidents or representatives from 12 South American nations signed the "Cusco Declaration", a two-page statement of intent announcing the foundation of the South American Community. Panama and Mexico attended the signing ceremony as observers in Brazil. The mechanics of the new entity came out of the
Member states of the Union of South American Nations created by Hugo Chávez to sideline existing international treaties and referring to it as an accomplice to what they referred to as the dictatorship in Venezuela. Member states of the Union of South American Nations There are currently twelve member states of the Union of South American Nations, though six member states suspended their participation in the organization in April 2018. Of these, two belong to CARICOM, four belong to the Andean Community of Nations (CAN), and four to Mercosur. Six member states suspended their participation in the organization in April 2018. On 28 August 2018, Colombian president Iván Duque