Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro (L) and Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (R) greet each other after a joint press conference at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia on May 29, 2023 (AFP)

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Tuesday that it is time for a united South America after long years of division, calling for economic, cultural, and social integration between its countries.

Lula's statement came as he hosted the continent's 12 leaders in a Brasilia summit, where the recently elected president revealed that the aim of the gathering is "taking the first steps to resume our dialogue."

On Twitter, the Brazilian leader posted a picture of himself and his counterparts holding hands high, captioned: "South Americans" with the flags of present countries.

Sul-americanos 🇧🇷🇦🇷🇧🇴🇨🇱🇨🇴🇪🇨🇬🇾🇵🇾🇸🇷🇺🇾🇻🇪🇵🇪
📸: @ricardostuckert pic.twitter.com/TFFntKQWLV
— Lula (@LulaOficial) May 30, 2023

Peru was the only South American country not represented at the level of president, rather by cabinet chief Alberto Otarola.

"We let ideology divide us and interrupt our efforts to integrate. We abandoned our channels of dialogue and our mechanisms of cooperation, and we all lost because of it," he told the heads of state gathered at the Brazilian Foreign Ministry headquarters.

Lula also criticized his predecessor former President Jair Bolsonaro who "closed our doors to historic partners" and "chosen isolationism".

"As long as we are disunited, we will not make South America a developed continent in all its potential. Integration must be a permanent objective for all of us. We need to leave strong roots for the next generations," he said on his Twitter account.

Enquanto estivermos desunidos, não faremos da América do Sul um continente desenvolvido em todo o seu potencial. A integração deve ser objetivo permanente de todos nós. Precisamos deixar raízes fortes para as próximas gerações.
— Lula (@LulaOficial) May 30, 2023

Newly elected Colombian President Gustavo Petro voiced his Brazilian counterpart's calls saying that "Latin America must play a united role and have a united voice."

Lula and other leaders of the continent, on top of which is Venezuela's late President Hugo Chavez, established UNASUR in 2008 to develop deeper coordination between South American countries and counter foreign influence and intervention.

The summit in Brasilia is the first time the organization convenes in almost nine years.

"Among the many things I have learned in politics is that the presidential term is much shorter than it appears. We have no time to lose. South America has before it, once again, the opportunity to walk the path of unity. And you don't have to start over from scratch. UNASUR is a collective asset," he said in another tweet.

Entre as muitas coisas que aprendi na política é que o mandato presidencial é muito mais curto do que aparenta. Não temos tempo a perder. A América do Sul tem diante de si, mais uma vez, a oportunidade de trilhar o caminho da união. E não é preciso recomeçar do zero. A UNASUL é…
— Lula (@LulaOficial) May 30, 2023

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was warmly greeted by Lula in a landmark moment after being barred from entering Brazil during Bolsonaro's term, who called Maduro a "dictator".

"This marks the beginning of Maduro's return" to the international arena, Lula said.

"We are living in a historic moment. After 8 years, the president @NicolasMaduro visits Brazil again and we regain the right to carry out international relations policy with the seriousness that we have always done, especially with the countries that border Brazil," Lula tweeted.

Estamos vivendo um momento histórico. Depois de 8 anos, o presidente @NicolasMaduro volta a visitar o Brasil e nós recuperamos o direito de fazer política de relações internacionais com a seriedade que sempre fizemos, sobretudo com os países que fazem fronteira com o Brasil.
📸:… pic.twitter.com/hWBtsRrD1l
— Lula (@LulaOficial) May 29, 2023

The meeting on Tuesday took place behind closed doors and was followed by a dinner hosted by Lula at his official residence, the Alvorada Palace.