The absence due to illness of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez played a major role during the final day of a summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in Santiago on Monday.
Venezuelan Vice President Nicolas Maduro read out to leaders a long letter from Chavez, which Venezuelan officials had noted in advance was signed in red ink.
"We have always felt perfect unity in everything, but oligarchies barred the way," Chavez said in his letter.