Quito, April 21 (RHC)-- Bolivia's Foreign Minister Fernando Huanacuni says the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) "is a reality" and "is not going to disappear" in response to reports that six countries –- Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Peru -- are preparing to leave the regional bloc.

"There is a historic responsibility, beyond ideological composition, that is a sovereign right of every state... the capacity to resolve ideological and political differences is a historical responsibility of governments… Coexistence creates responsibilities, rights and obligations which the UNASUR mechanism promotes," Huanacuni told a press conference in Quito, Ecuador.

Bolivia has just assumed the pro-tampore presidency of UNASUR, and has proposed using the institution to create a Confederation of South American Indigenous Peoples, including all governments, to push toward integration and 'universal citizenship' and to bring down 'illegal walls.'

On Friday however, media reports emerged that Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Peru -- representing the governments of the continent's right-wing -- would be leaving the organization.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro also responded to questions about UNASUR during a Friday press conference.   Maduro said UNASUR will continue to be a path for unity and integration in Latin America, and congratulated Bolivian President Evo Morales' assumption of the bloc's presidency.

"UNASUR is the legacy of all Latin Americans; Unasur is the path for all the peoples to unite and that is why I have great confidence that Evo Morales' presidency will be able to advance in this path," Maduro said.

UNASUR is an intergovernmental regional bloc comprising 12 South American countries. It was founded in 2008 with the intention of providing regional economic and political integration, and with the aim of building a regional bloc without the presence of the United States. Its first president was former Argentinean President Nestor Kirchner.