Declaration on Democracy

We, the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Rio Group:

1. Reiterate the commitment of our Governments to democracy and the rule of law in the context of the Cartagena Commitment to Democracy and consider the continuing cooperation among our countries to honour it to be a positive development.

2. In the face of the challenges experienced by some countries in our region, we reaffirm the importance of continuing to cooperate closely in strengthening, improving and modernizing democratic institutions, including the full independence of the State authorities.

3. Any act of aggression against democracy in a country member of the Rio Group constitutes an infringement of the principles that underpin the solidarity of the American States.

4. The Rio Group acknowledges the very useful steps taken by the Organization of American States to consolidate and improve the region's democratic institutions, particularly the measures to support the efforts undertaken by Peru to restore its democracy.

Santiago , Chile , 27 March 2001