Uruguayan President Jose Mujica and his visiting Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro Tuesday signed nine agreements to expand cooperation in a wide range of fields including defense, tourism, energy, trade and agribusiness.

Maduro, who arrived here Tuesday morning on a 24-hour visit, told reporters after meeting with Mujica that the two leaders have worked to "ratify and strengthen ties in fields like energy, trade and agribusiness."

He also said they have planned to "build a productive alliance in the agribusiness to produce meat and milk."

"We need the support of (Uruguayan) businessmen and workers" to produce the goods for Venezuelan consumers, he added.

Meanwhile, the newly-elected Venezuelan president called for "strengthening cooperation in the financial and monetary fields."

Commenting on the signing of the deals, Mujica said his country has "taken an important step" in the relationship with Venezuela.

He also stressed the importance of Venezuela's entry into the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), a regional trade bloc that also includes Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay.

Venezuela was made a full member of Mercosur at a June 2012 summit, the same day that Paraguay was temporarily suspended from the bloc over the ouster of former President Fernando Lugo by the opposition-controlled legislature.

Mujica said differences existed within Mercosur and Venezuela's entry will help achieve "more stability and more affinity" within the bloc.

For his part, Maduro said he believed Mercosur would "become a powerful magnet in the continent for economic union."

He said, "We came here to ratify our dedication to Mercosur, our dedication to union and independence, and our deep love for the history of the people of Uruguay."

Maduro traveled to Argentina Tuesday night, the second leg of his regional tour, which also includes a visit to Brazil.