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
Union of South American Nations South American continent. Since health is an essential right to all human beings and all societies, and it is also a vital component for the development of mankind, the Health Council seeks political and social acceptance regarding the issue, proposing health to be seen as an important booster of cooperation and integration of the bloc's nations, intensifying the coordination of such nations and respecting diversity and interculturalism in the region. The Health Council aims to strengthen, by establishing a South American political institution with expertise in sanitary issues, the development of solutions to challenges that transcend national borders, developing values