Peruvian presidential candidate Ollanta Humala Thursday regretted President Hugo Chávez' claims that the Andean Community of Nations (CAN) "is dead," and clarified he does support the regional integration group.

"I find it regrettable because of the Andean community, but I do understand that every country has to protect its own interests," Humala added.

Chávez on Wednesday during a visit to Paraguay said the CAN "is dead; it has been killed; it does not exist." "Venezuela is withdrawing from CAN; it is nonsense. We should do anything else." His comments came after Colombia and Peru initialed Free Trade Agreements with the United States.