MEXICO CITY - When leaders of 33 Latin American and Caribbean nations co-founded a new regional bloc here Saturday, they are envisioning the region as a bigger player on the world stage.

While the newly-formed Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) is politically diverse with varied national aspirations, its historic importance cannot be ignored, political analysts said.

"The creation of CELAC is part of a global and continental shift, characterized by the decline of US hegemony and the rise of a group of regional blocs that form part of the new global balance," Mexican analyst Raul Zibechi wrote in his column on the La Jornada daily.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has made it clear that he wants Latin America to stand stronger, more united and independent from US influence, a view echoed by a number of CELAC member countries including Bolivia, Ecuador and Nicaragua.

Considered as strong allies of Washington, leaders of Mexico, Chile and Colombia have also enthusiastically embraced the idea of CELAC. And Brazil, South America's leading power, refers to the grouping as being the region's "new common voice" at many international fora.

The formation of CELAC has been welcomed across the region, from the most leftwing anti-US Latin American nations to the most conservative pro-US allies.

"With the advent of CELAC we have created a mechanism that we haven't been able to do during our 200 years of independence," said Mexican President Felipe Calderon.

Cuban leader Raul Castro described the founding of CELAC as "the biggest independence event of our time."

Latin American leaders want it to be a forum similar to the Organization of American States (OAS), but free of political influence from the United States.

"It's clear that major issues in Latin America and the Caribbean will be addressed by this new regional body and the OAS will lose the little-exercised leadership it still possesses," said an op-ed piece in the Bolivian paper La Razon with a cartoon of a sinking ship named OAS.

According to "The Caracas Declaration," a key document signed at the new bloc's founding summit, CELAC will take on the role as "regional spokesman" at ministerial talks at key international forums.

But there was no indication whatsoever in the declaration that CELAC would seek to replace the OAS, which welcomed the new bloc as "a new mechanism for political coordination and agreement in the region." And OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza said CELAC was certain to "enrich dialogues" in North and South Americas.

Analysts, however, will continue to debate what kind of global role of the new grouping would take, or whether it would eventually replace the OAS.

They said few CELAC countries would want to see the OAS replaced and the United States would not stand by in case of any attempt to exclude it from Latin American affairs.

"The US should regard this move as a firm warning that its neglect of Latin America and the Caribbean's development needs and issues is not in the interest of the United States," said an analyst, adding that Washington needs to "engage in Latin America and the Caribbean" and make the countries feel like "genuine partners and neighbors."