On November 29, 2012, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the scientific authorities of Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela and El Salvador signed the creation of "LaReferencia", a project to develop a federated network of institutional repositories of scientific publications for storing, sharing and giving visibility to the scientific production of Latin America.

The regional cooperation agreement was signed by the Minister of Science, Lino Barañao, the Brazilian ambassador in Argentina, Enio Cordeiro, the president of the National Center for Technological Innovation from Venezuela, Jose Sosa, the general secretary of the National Council of Science, Technology and Technological Innovation of Peru, Jose Angel Valdivia, and the Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Technology Transfer of Ecuador, Mateo Villalba.

Besides the agreement had the signature of the presidents of the National Council of Science and Technology of Mexico, Enrique Villa, and the National Council of Scientific and Technological Research of Chile, José Miguel Aguilera, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology of El Salvador, Herlinda Handal, and the head of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation of Colombia, Carlos Fonseca Zárate.

The activity was remarked on the website of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation of Argentina in the article: “Autoridades científicas de Latinoamérica firman acuerdo histórico de acceso a la información”, with information that includes a photo gallery and a video with impressions of the participants. (Access the video HERE)

Also, the Secretary of Public Communications, highlighted the information in press release “Autoridades científicas de Latinoamérica firman acuerdo de acceso a la información”, also accompanied by a gallery of images.

NREN press coverage
-    REUNA: Inicia el cambio regional: trabajo conjunto para el acceso abierto a la primera red de ciencia latinoamericana
-    RENATA: Autoridades científicas de Latinoamérica firman acuerdo de acceso a la información

Other media press coverage
-    LAReferencia:  Inicia el cambio regional: trabajo conjunto para el acceso abierto
-    Materia: La primera red de ciencia latinoamericana será de acceso abierto
-    APTUS: Científicos de Latinoamérica firmaron un acuerdo de acceso a la información
-    Red CLED:  Inicia el cambio regional: trabajo conjunto para el acceso abierto | LAReferencia