The South American Community of Nations (CSN) decided Thursday to send the foreign ministers of Bolivia, Brazil and Peru to mediate in the political crisis in Ecuador.

Bolivian Foreign Minister Juan Siles, Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim and Peruvian Foreign Minister Manuel Rodriguez will hold a dialogue with political forces in Ecuador, in efforts to resolve the political crisis.

The CSN reiterates in a communique its "deep concern" about the deteriorating situation in Ecuador, which culminated in the sacking of President Lucio Gutierrez.

Meanwhile, Argentina also offered to join the CSN mission in helping stabilize the political-judicial situation in Ecuador.

The Ecuadorian congress on Wednesday ousted Gutierrez after mass protests and named Vice President Alfredo Palacio as the country's new president.

The CSN, formed in December 2004, is the world's third largest regional bloc after the European Union and the North American FreeTrade Agreement. The bloc, with a combined population of 360 million, groups Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Surinam, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Source: Xinhua