CARACAS, October 16. /TASS/. In case of Venezuela’s accession to the group, BRICS will get an opportunity to increase cooperation with the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, Venezuelan Deputy Foreign Minister Coromoto Godoy Calderon stated.

"[Venezuela’s] access to the Atlantic Ocean ensures a strategic connection with other regions of the world, which will contribute to the further strengthening and deepening of economic and trade cooperation between BRICS and [the countries of] Latin America and the Caribbean," she said in a speech, the text of which was quoted by the local radio station Radio Fe y Alegria.

According to the Venezuelan newspaper Ciudad de Caracas, the diplomat also stressed that if the country joins the group, its authorities will, together with all BRICS members, defend the creation of a multipolar world order and resist Western hegemony. "[Venezuela intends] to promote the development of new relations in international politics, thanks to which a multipolar world with many centers will be formed, which will become <...> a guarantee of peace on the planet," she said.

Among the Latin American countries, only one founding state is a member of the organization - Brazil. In August 2023, BRICS members invited Argentina, but after the election of Javier Milei as president in late December, it refused to join. In October this year, the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the country’s authorities had sent an official request to Russian President Vladimir Putin to join BRICS as a partner country.

BRICS was founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India and China, with South Africa joining it in 2011. On January 1, 2024, Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia became the group’s full members.

On January 1, 2024, Russia took over the BRICS’ yearlong presidency. It features more than 200 various events. The BRICS summit in Kazan on October 22-24 will be the association’s main event during Russia’s presidency.