TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — More than 80 political and opinion leaders and scholars from eight Latin American nations have signed a letter supporting Taiwan in the face of ongoing Chinese pressure.

The letter was put together during a video conference in the Costa Rican capital of San Jose on Sept. 28. The eight countries represented by the signatories included Colombia, Chile, Uruguay, Mexico, Venezuela, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Costa Rica, the latter two being former diplomatic allies of Taiwan.

Cuban Democratic Directorate Secretary-General Orlando Gutierrez, who participated in the signing, delivered the letter to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Miami on Monday (Oct. 5) in person. He said the letter is significant because political leaders from Taiwan's former diplomatic allies have shown their support for Taiwan amid Beijing's military threats to the country.

The declaration recognized that Taiwan has refused to back down from Chinese pressure and instead demonstrated strong determination to defend its democracy and freedom. It urged the international community to condemn the authoritarian regime's threats towards the Taiwanese people, including President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), as well as the "climate of terror" promoted by Chinese Secretary-General Xi Jinping, reported CNA.

Among the signatories of the letter are Costa Rican Congressman Dragos Dolanescu, former Dominican Minister of Energy and Mining Pelegrín Castillo, former Mexican prosecutor René Bolio, and Colombian Senator María Fernanda Cabal. As of the time of publication, people were continuing to sign.