Revive South American union to rescue Venezuelan democracy

The Union of South American Nations is a dead man walking, after half of its 12 members abandoned the group this spring. Their walkout was widely celebrated as a comeuppance for a regional body established by leftists hellbent on swatting the United States away from Latin America. But lost in the schadenfreude that greeted the group’s collapse was a beloved trait of an unloved organization: a democracy requirement for members that offers a potent tool for solving the crisis in Venezuela. After Vice President Mike Pence traveled to Latin America to press for action against Venezuela and returned empty handed, it has become clear that UNASUR’s implosion has limited the U.S. ability to encourage stricter measures against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. More…