But all have signed the Organisation of American States' democratic charter, requiring them to support, not undermine, each other's democracies.

ECONOMIST: Colombia and Venezuela

Their defiance led to a unanimous vote to suspend Honduras from membership of the OAS, since the coup violated its Democratic Charter.

ECONOMIST: Can negotiations reinstate Manuel Zelaya?

The Organisation of American States, which has been seeking to mediate, said their pronouncement violated the body's Democratic Charter, approved last year.

ECONOMIST: Politics in Venezuela: No way out? | The