Pacific Alliance member countries sign framework agreement

SANTIAGO – The leaders of Chile, Colombia, Peru and Mexico went one step ahead today in the agreement for the Pacific Alliance trading bloc. In an online meeting, the presidents of the four countries signed the conclusion of the Framework Agreement for the Pacific Alliance, which is the foundation document to be signed in the next summit, which is planned for June. The agreement seeks to gradually achieve a free flow of goods, services, capital and people within the group.

The online meeting included the heads of state of half a dozen countries. Photo: Gobierno de Chile

Chilean president Sebastian Piñera, Mexican President Felipe Calderón, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and Peruvian President Ollanta Humala all participated in the conference. The president of Panamá, Ricardo Martinelli, joined the meeting as an observer and the president of Costa Rica, Laura Chinchilla, as a guest. In the meeting, the governors of Chile, Peru, Colombia and Mexico agreed on including Costa Rica as an observer member. The objective is to convert both countries as members soon.

The Pacific Alliance was created on April 28^th 2011, in a meeting among the heads of the states in Lima, Peru. The six-country bloc would include a total population around 215 million people and be responsible for 35 percent of GDP in Latin America and the Caribbean.

According to information released in the meeting today by the Mexican government, Felipe Calderón passed the Pro-Tempore presidency of the Pacific Alliance to Sebastian Piñera. The organization of the next summit is now the charge of Chile. Mexico also announced that will give a special business visa for members of the Pacific Alliance, valid for 10 years and free of charge.