Brasilia, June 1 (RHC)-- The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, has announced his decision to reintegrate the country into the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), from which it separated almost five years ago during the government of then president Iván Duque.

"I have decided to reintegrate the country to UNASUR by ratifying the treaty approved by Congress through a law and I have requested that it be called Association of South American Nations to guarantee pluralism and permanence in time," the president published in his Twitter account.

The news comes after the intense agenda held in Brazil by the head of state, after being invited by the Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, to participate in the meeting of South American presidents, which served as a scenario for bilateral meetings with other dignitaries of the region.

In addition to Petro, the meeting was attended by the presidents of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela, while Peru was represented by the president of the Council of Ministers, Alberto Otárola -- because the rule of designated president Dina Boluarte is not recognized as a legitimate government.

Colombia withdrew in August 2018 from UNASUR during the government of the right-wing Iván Duque.  The then president announced that he had given "precise instructions" to his foreign minister, the late Carlos Holmes Trujillo, to withdraw from the organization.

UNASUR is currently formed by Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela.  Argentina and Brazil announced their return to the organization in early April of this year.  Authorities from both nations met in the Argentine capital to address the challenges to reactivate UNASUR.