The Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua were admitted as full rights members to the Rio Group. The Rio Group has served in its 13 years of existence as a forum for communication and personal contact between the regional heads of state and ministers of foreign relations. With the admission of the DR and the Central American countries, the Rio Group now is an 18-country organization. The decision to admit the new members was taken by regional ministers that met in New York where they were attending the 54th General Assembly of the United Nations. Other members are Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Panama, Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Uruguay, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Paraguay. The Permanent Mechanism for Political Consultation and Concertation (Río Group) was founded in Río de Janeiro, Brazil, in December of 1986, in order to broaden and systematize political cooperation and dialogue; examine and reach agreements regarding positions on international issues of common concern; promote the optimal functioning of the agencies and processes striving for Latin American integration and cooperation; propitiate internal solutions for problems and conflicts affecting the region, promote improved inter-American relations and explore new fields of cooperation to favor economic, social, scientific and technological cooperation amongst our countries. Known as the most representative political mouthpiece for Latin America and the Caribbean, the Group has established several channels of communication with other regions and countries in the world. Since the dialogue between the Río Group and the European Union became institutionalized in 1990, there have been eight meetings between chancellors and four high level meeting regarding economics and trade. Through this institutionalized exchange, both regions have proposed novel and creative formulas for cooperation on issues of political, social, economic, commercial and financial interest.
