UNASUR's Mejía says region faced crisis better than the G7

The Secretary-General of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), Colombian María Emma Mejía, considered that the countries of the region had “more imagination and audacity in the measures they applied,” than the countries of the G7, which are debating how to get out of the crisis they are currently living in.

“The countries of the G7 need a lot more than only releasing a communiqué, the blocs they represent rehearsed almost everything, passed harsh laws for the citizens at Congress, but were of no use. However, our countries that are part of G20 and BRIC had more imagination and audacity due to what we’ve learned in the ’80 and ‘90s,” Mejía continued.

Mejía explained how the countries of the UNASUR applied actions that were debated in the last encounter of the presidents in order to “take joint measures to protect themselves from the crisis.”

She highlighted Colombia’s decision to get closer with Brazil to trade with local currency, leaving aside the dollar.

Referring to the impact of the crisis in the region, the secretary-general assured she is “optimistic, meaning we have done things well after passing through the lost decade of the ’80, and the failed decade of the ’90. Latin America learned from the past.”

Mejía reported that the members of the UNASUR will meet in November in Cusco to advance in “the measures so the growth can turn into development in social affairs, where the region has to keep on working.”