'Venezuela's entry to Mercosur strengthens the region,' CFK

President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner assured today during a press conference held at the Mercosur summit in Brasilia, that Venezuela’s entry to the bloc “strengthens the entire region.”

Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay made the action official today in a special summit held in Brasilia.

The heads of state from the four participating countries – Brazil’s Dilma Rousseff, Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez, Uruguay’s José Mujica and President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner met this morning, following taking a group photo just before 10.55 am at the Planalto Palace.

A press conference was held this afternoon before the leaders moved on to the Brazilian Itamaraty Chancery where they were attending a special lunch in honour of the heads of state.

During the conference President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, expressed her joy over Venezuela's entry to the bloc, mentioning how her late husband had fought and hoped that this day would arrive.

“Néstor Kirchner and Lula Da Silva always dreamt of this happening."

Venezuela's swearing into the bloc makes it the first country to join the bloc since it was founded in 1991.