President Hugo Chávez, amid a visit to Uruguay, Thursday advocated for a new regional development model, as the north-imposed model is not adequate for southern nations.
 
Chávez' comments came following inauguration of a bridge at the Uruguayan town of Bolívar.

"There is no doubt, if they insist in pushing ahead development standards imposed by the most powerful countries, life could be eradicated from earth."

"We have been called upon; we have an obligation -even for the purposes of survival- to create another development model. We do believe that our thesis regarding endogenous development, among others, is really adequate to boost such new development standards."

"Latin American peoples need to be radical, go back to their roots, where lies the key of our past, present, and specially the key to reshape our future." "Nothing is less stranger in these lands than socialism," said Chávez quoting author Eduardo Galeano.

He insisted that socialism is the way to save Latin American peoples.

Chávez is attending the 29th summit of the Southern Common Market in Montevideo, where Venezuela is to become a full member of the regional trade bloc.

"We have been waiting almost seven years for Venezuela's entry in Mercosur," he claimed.

"Now, Venezuelans do feel they have arrived in the place they should be, in the framework of integration that is our major motivation. Venezuela spent over 100 years under the chains of the North American empire. We have broken those chains. We are free now."
 
"Venezuela no longer sails north; Venezuela now sails south."