| Linking Name: | the Forum for the Progress and Integration of South America |
| Image Symbol: | Logo of PROSUR.png |
| Symbol Width: | 200px |
| Map Width: | 260px |
| Admin Center: | Rotational: currently Asunción, Paraguay |
| Languages Type: | Official languages |
| Demonym: | South American |
| Org Type: | International organization |
| Leader Title1: | President pro tempore |
| Leader Name1: | Santiago Peña |
| Established: | Formation |
| Established Event1: | Santiago Declaration |
| Established Date1: | 22 March 2019[1] |
The Forum for the Progress and Integration of South America (Spanish: Foro para el Progreso e integración de América del Sur, PROSUR; Portuguese: Fórum para o Progresso e Desenvolvimento da América do Sul, PROSUL, Dutch: Forum voor de vooruitgang en integratie van Zuid-Amerika, FVIZA) is an initiative by Sebastián Piñera and Iván Duque, for the creation of an integration body to replace the Union of South American Nations.
In the words of the Colombian president, who made the announcement on 14 January 2019, PROSUR would be "a South American coordination mechanism for public policies, in defense of democracy, the independence of powers, the market economy, the social agenda, with sustainability and with due application".[2] On 18 February 2019, the President of Chile, Sebastián Piñera, said "this new forum will be open to all South American countries that meet two requirements: full validity of the rule of law and full respect for freedoms and human rights".[3]
It has been characterised as a right-wing response to the left-wing UNASUR.[4] [5]
On April 3, 2022, the new president of Chile, Gabriel Boric, announced that the country was suspending its participation in the alliance.[6] [7] Suriname joined the alliance in 2022.[8]
The first PROSUR Summit, called the "Meeting of Presidents of South America", took place on 22 March 2019 in Santiago, Chile. Eight South American countries taking part (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay and Peru) signed the Declaration of Santiago for the renewal and strengthening of South America, which begins the process of creating of PROSUR. The representatives of Bolivia, Suriname and Uruguay abstained from signing the declaration.[9] Representatives from Venezuela were not invited to the summit in Santiago.[10]
The second PROSUR Summit took place on 12 December 2020; due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was held virtually. The heads of state of Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Peru participated in the summit, with Prime Minister Mark Phillips of Guyana and President Luis Lacalle Pou of Uruguay invited as special guests. During the summit, the presidency pro tempore was transferred from its inaugural holder, Chilean President Sebastián Piñera to Colombian President Iván Duque. A presidential declaration was adopted to formalize the transfer and promote regional cooperation between its members in matters related to the pandemic.[11] [12]
The third PROSUR summit was held in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia on 26–27 January 2022; the 2022 summit of the Pacific Alliance was also held at the same date and venue. It was attended by five heads of state; its host President Iván Duque of Colombia, President Mario Abdo Benítez of Paraguay, President Guillermo Lasso of Ecuador, Prime Minister Mark Phillips of Guyana and President Sebastián Piñera of Chile. In representation of their respective countries were Vice-president Hamilton Mourão of Brazil and Foreign Minister of Peru Óscar Maúrtua.[13] [14] Argentina sent no delegation, while the President-elect of Chile, Gabriel Boric, declined an invitation by President Sebastián Piñera to attend the two summits in Colombia.[15] During the summit, Mario Abdo Benítez succeeded Iván Duque as president pro tempore but attended the summit virtually due to having tested positive for COVID-19.[16] [17]
| Year | Date | Place | Host | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1st | 22 March | Santiago, Chile | Sebastian Piñera |
| 2020 | 2nd[18] | 12 December | Videoconference | Sebastian Piñera |
| 2022 | 3rd | 27 January | Cartagena, Colombia | Iván Duque Márquez |
| Year | Date | Place | Host | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1st[19] | 16 March | Videoconference | Sebastian Piñera |
| 2020 | 2nd | 6 April | Videoconference | Sebastian Piñera |
| 2020 | 3rd | 19 May | Videoconference | Sebastian Piñera |
| 2020 | 4th | 27 August | Videoconference | Sebastian Piñera |
| 2021 | 5th | 25 February | Videoconference | Iván Duque Márquez |
| 2021 | 6th | 16 March | Videoconference | Iván Duque Márquez |
The presidency is exercised for a period of one year and will be rotated among the member countries between each PROSUR meeting. Since January 2022, the current president pro tempore of PROSUR is Paraguayan President Santiago Peña.
| No. | President pro tempore | Portrait | Country | Beginning of the mandate | End of the mandate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sebastián Piñera | 22 March 2019 | 12 December 2020 | ||
| 2 | Iván Duque | 12 December 2020 | 27 January 2022 | ||
| 3 | Mario Abdo Benítez | 27 January 2022 | 15 August 2023 | ||
| 4 | Santiago Peña | 15 August 2023 | Incumbent | ||