Colombia’s foreign Minister Carlos Holmes announced Friday that his country is withdrawing from Unasur, the union of South American countries after months of division between member states.

The country suspended its membership in April after months of infighting on the worsening situation in neighboring Venezuela and the succession of Colombian ex-President Ernesto Samper as the South American union’s president.

The bloc was founded in 2008 to promote regional integration and diminish US influence in South America. Political divisions, however, had virtually paralyzed the organization.

Other countries led by conservative governments also suspended their membership, mainly over disagreement on Venezuela, a founding state that has slowly degenerated in a virtual one-party state similar to Cuba.

According to President Ivan Duque, the Unasur membership had become toxic and effectively made Colombia “complicit in the Venezuelan dictatorship.”

Holmes said that other countries who suspended their membership in April could follow suit and withdraw, which would effectively end the continental project that essentially sought regional integration.

“We are consulting with other countries that want to take the same course. In any case, Colombia will withdraw from the constitutive treaty, it is an irreversible policy,”

Since its foundation, the governments of a number of member states have shifted to the right while the socialist-run Venezuela has become increasingly authoritarian.

Resolutions that sought to condemn human rights violations in the oil-rich country were sunk by Venezuela’s allies in the region and countries that depend on free oil distributed by Caracas.

The organization has been without a secretary general since January last year when former Colombian President Ernesto Samper ended his term.

The lack of consensus and leadership has removed “the conditions that allow taking decisions” as one body, former Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin said in April.

Colombia to withdraw from Unasur; South America split over Venezuela was last modified: by </s> "We believe in the need to relaunch the OAS [Organization of American States], we are going to launch a new border policy, a new immigration policy, we are going to… withdraw from Unasur," Holmes said at a news conference in Bogota.

READ MORE: Colombia's New President Vows to Alter Peace Deal With FARC Rebels

The Unasur is an intergovernmental regional organization comprising 12 South American countries.

In April 2018, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay and Peru suspended their membership in the organization. </s> Colombia's new government said it would review former President Juan Manuel Santos' recognition of Palestine after the previously unreleased decision was made public on Wednesday.

BOGOTA: Colombia's new government said it would review former President Juan Manuel Santos' recognition of Palestine after the previously unreleased decision was made public on Wednesday.

President Ivan Duque took office on Tuesday and was informed a few days ago of Santos' decision, which was detailed in an Aug. 3 letter to the Palestinian representative in Colombia, the foreign ministry said.

"Given possible omissions that could come to light about the way in which this decision was taken by the outgoing president, the government will cautiously examine its implications and will act according to international law," new Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes said in a statement.

Santos decided to recognise Palestine as a "free, independent and sovereign state," according to the letter, which was circulated to reporters by the foreign ministry.

"Just as the Palestinian people have a right to constitute an independent state, Israel has a right to live in peace alongside its neighbours," the letter said.

The decision came to light during a visit to Colombia by United States ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley. She attended Duque's inauguration on Tuesday and on Wednesday visited Venezuelan migrants in the northern border city of Cucuta.

The United States, a close ally of Israel, was getting more information about the situation and had no immediate comment, the U.S. mission to the United Nations said.

"We thank the Colombian government for this decision and we are sure that it will contribute significantly to generating the necessary conditions in the search for peace in the Middle East," the Palestine representative said in a statement on Wednesday.

Palestine has been recognised as a sovereign state by the U.N. General Assembly, the International Criminal Court and at least 136 countries.

Palestine seeks to create a state in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, lands that Israel captured in the 1967 war.

Colombia abstained in December from a vote by the 193-member U.N. General Assembly on a resolution calling for the United States to drop its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that voted in favour.

The status of Jerusalem is one of the thorniest obstacles to a peace deal between Israel and Palestine, who were furious over Trump's move. The international community does not recognise Israeli sovereignty over the full city. </s> Countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) approved Friday the entry of Colombia as its 37th member, at the end of an application process that began five years ago.

The next step in the invitation to Colombia by ambassadors of the member states will be the signing on May 30 in Paris of an access agreement by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria of Mexico during the organization's meeting of ministers. </s> Colombia invited to join OECD; third Latin American member with Mexico and Chile

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) announced on Friday that Colombia would be officially invited to join the group. The Paris-based economic organization was founded in 1961 and has traditionally included industrialized nations, though in recent years it has extended its membership to emerging economies.

The accession of Colombia will contribute to our efforts to transform the OECD into a more diverse and inclusive institution, which will ensure our relevance in the years and decades ahead. OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria said, welcoming the new addition.

Colombia began its application process in 2013. As part of the requirements, 23 OECD committees conducted an in-depth evaluation of the country. Additionally, the Colombian government had to introduce major reforms to align its legislation, policies and practices to OECD standards.

The OECD entry marks a new achievement for outgoing President Juan Manuel Santos, whose administration undertook the challenge during his first term in office. Santos celebrated the decision, saying that it represented great news for Colombia.

To enter this organization represents a very important step in the efforts to modernize our country, the Colombian president said.

We are comparing ourselves to the best to be the best, he added. Santos is set to fly to Paris on May 30 to sign the Accession Agreement at the upcoming meeting of the OECD ministerial council.

Colombia will become the 37th member of the OECD and the third Latin American country to do so, after Mexico and Chile. Costa Rica is currently undergoing its own accession process.

Once marred by political violence from drug trafficking and a leftist insurgency, Colombia has experienced a revival in recent years. In 2016, the country celebrated a landmark peace agreement that ended Latin America's longest-running conflict and has also experienced economic growth.

The OECD's reported that economic growth in Colombia is projected to rise to around three percent in 2018 and 2019. The organization pointed to reduced corporate taxation, the historic peace agreement, better financing conditions and new infrastructure projects, as positive steps the country is taking to boost the economy.

A testament to Colombia's comeback is the growth in its tourism industry. According to the US International Trade Administration, as of 2017, tourism has become a major economic engine for the South American nation, ranking above coffee export and below the oil sector. ITA predicts that Colombia will lead growth in tourism in the next decade. </s> BOGOTA – Colombia’s new government said it would review former President Juan Manuel Santos’ recognition of Palestine after the previously unreleased decision was made public on Wednesday.

President Ivan Duque took office on Tuesday and was informed a few days ago of Santos’ decision, which was detailed in an Aug. 3 letter to the Palestinian representative in Colombia, the foreign ministry said.

“Given possible omissions that could come to light about the way in which this decision was taken by the outgoing president, the government will cautiously examine its implications and will act according to international law,” new Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes said in a statement.

“Just as the Palestinian people have a right to constitute an independent state, Israel has a right to live in peace alongside its neighbors,” the letter said.

The Israeli embassy in Bogota said it was surprised and disappointed.

“We ask the Colombian government to reverse the decision made by the previous administration in its last days, which contravenes the close relations, extensive cooperation in vital areas and interests of both countries,” it said in a statement posted to its Twitter account.

The decision came to light during a visit to Colombia by United States ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley. She attended Duque’s inauguration on Tuesday and on Wednesday visited Venezuelan migrants in the northern border city of Cucuta.

The United States, a close ally of Israel, was getting more information about the situation and had no immediate comment, the U.S. mission to the United Nations said.

“We thank the Colombian government for this decision and we are sure that it will contribute significantly to generating the necessary conditions in the search for peace in the Middle East,” the Palestine representative said in a statement on Wednesday.

As of 3 August 2018, 137 of the 193 member states of the United Nations and two non-member states have recognized the State of Palestine. Many of the countries that do not recognize the State of Palestine nevertheless recognize the PLO as the “representative of the Palestinian people“. On 29 November 2012, the UN General Assembly passed a motion changing Palestine’s “entity” status to “non-member observer state” by a vote of 138 to 9, with 41 abstentions

Palestine seeks to create a state in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, lands that Israel captured in the 1967 war.

Colombia abstained in December from a vote by the 193-member U.N. General Assembly on a resolution calling for the United States to drop its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that voted in favor. </s> Colombia on Wednesday became the last South American country to recognize Palestine as a "free, independent and sovereign" state, a decision taken by the former administration, while the country's new foreign minister said the relevant implications will be analyzed.

In a letter dated Aug. 3, former Colombian Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin, who left office Tuesday, informed her then Palestinian counterpart, Riad Malik, of Colombia's decision. </s> MEDELLIN, Colombia: Members of the Organization of American States (OAS) ended two days of meetings on Friday without a clear plan for increasing pressure on embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, despite a majority vote to recognise a representative from the country's opposition.

The oil-rich country's economic and political crisis has dominated recent OAS meetings, with some member states denouncing Maduro as a dictator and others continuing to back him.

OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro had said the group would seek to ramp up pressure on Maduro during this week's session in Medellin, Colombia and even debate eventual sanctions.

But the member states were divided by the presence of a representative sent by Veneuzela's opposition leader Juan Guaido, who argued that Maduro's 2018 re-election was illegitimate. In January, Guaido invoked the constitution to assume an interim presidency.

Uruguay withdrew from the assembly on Thursday in protest. The OAS permanent council approved the delegation in April but member states did not vote on it until Friday when 20 countries including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, the United States and Peru backed recognition until Venezuela holds its next elections.

Eight countries voted against recognising the delegation, while six abstained. Bolivia, Mexico and Nicaragua have expressed dismay at the opposition's presence.

"Colombia voted with enthusiasm for this declaration," said Colombian foreign minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo. "The only objective that we all seek is for our Venezuelan brothers to finally be able to vote freely for the government they want."

The leader of the opposition delegation said the Venezuelan people need a voice at the OAS.

"Our delegation is grateful for this support of our people," Julio Borges said during the meeting. "We can only tackle the Venezuelan tragedy in one way - giving a voice to the Venezuelan people."

Guaido tweeted that the vote was a great victory for the cause of Venezuelan democracy.

Maduro announced Venezuela's withdrawal from the OAS in 2017 and has accused the Washington-based group of being a U.S. pawn.

Venezuela, home to the world's largest oil reserves, has been in political limbo as shortages of food and medicine have led millions to flee.

The number of Venezuelan migrants abroad could double by the end of next year to 8 million, the OAS said in a report on Friday.

The assembly also approved a resolution supporting a peaceful solution to Nicaragua's political crisis, which has rolled on for more than a year amid protests against President Daniel Ortega. </s> Colombia’s new government said it would review former President Juan Manuel Santos’ recognition of Palestine after the previously unreleased decision was made public on Wednesday.

President Ivan Duque took office on Tuesday and was informed a few days ago of Santos’ decision, which was detailed in an 3 August letter to the Palestinian representative in Colombia, the foreign ministry said.

“Given possible omissions that could come to light about the way in which this decision was taken by the outgoing president, the government will cautiously examine its implications and will act according to international law,” new Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes said in a statement.

Santos decided to recognize Palestine as a “free, independent and sovereign state,” according to the letter, which was circulated to reporters by the foreign ministry.

“Just as the Palestinian people have a right to constitute an independent state, Israel has a right to live in peace alongside its neighbors,” the letter said.

The Israeli embassy in Bogota said it was surprised and disappointed.

“We ask the Colombian government to reverse the decision made by the previous administration in its last days, which contravenes the close relations, extensive cooperation in vital areas and interests of both countries,” it said in a statement posted to its Twitter account.

The decision came to light during a visit to Colombia by United States ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley. She attended Duque’s inauguration on Tuesday and on Wednesday visited Venezuelan migrants in the northern border city of Cucuta.

The United States, a close ally of Israel, was getting more information about the situation and had no immediate comment, the US mission to the United Nations said.

“We thank the Colombian government for this decision and we are sure that it will contribute significantly to generating the necessary conditions in the search for peace in the Middle East,” the Palestine representative said in a statement on Wednesday.

Palestine has been recognized as a sovereign state by the U.N. General Assembly, the International Criminal Court and at least 136 countries.

Palestine seeks to create a state in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, lands that Israel captured in the 1967 war.

Colombia abstained in December from a vote by the 193-member UN General Assembly on a resolution calling for the United States to drop its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. US President Donald Trump had threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that voted in favor.
Colombia announces its withdrawal from the Union of South American Nations after having suspended its membership in the organization since April 2018.