The Rio Group is a regional political consensus mechanism that brings together Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, México, Nicaragua, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, Surinam, Uruguay, Venezuela and the CARICOM member states.

It was created in 1986 based on the Contadora Group and the Contadora Support Group.

The Rio Group is managed by a Secretariat Pro Tempore that is appointed each year to the country hosting the Heads of State and Government Meeting. Said country, along with the prior and the future PTS comprise the Rio Group Troika.

Chile is currently responsible for the Secretariat Pro Tempore until 2012.

The countries part of the troika assume the commitment of working closely to support the SPT’s activities. The current members of the Troika are Dominican Republic, México and Chile.

The Group has defined multiple communication channels with other regions and countries worldwide. The Rio Group dialogue with the EU was institutionalized in 1990. Since then, 14 EU-RIO Group Ministerial Meetings have taken place.

Likewise, the Group has also held Ministerial Meetings within the framework of the United Nations General Assembly with Israel, China, Japan, Canada, Korea, India, Russia, Ukraine, Georgia and with country blocs, such as the EU, the League of Arab Countries, the Gulf Cooperation Council and the G-77.