Snubbed by Brazil and Paraguay, Venezuela Seems a Little Further from Mercosur

Addressing a conference on relations between Mercosur and the European Community in Porto Alegre, capital of Rio Grande do Sul state, in south Brazil, Paraguayan senator Marcelo Duarte commented on Venezuelan president, "it is Venezuela which is acting against its own interests by adopting measures contrary to the free press and which undermine confidence in the country."

Duarte pointed out that the South American group Mercosur has enough problems and of different kinds and does not need to include another one by voting for the incorporation of Venezuela to the trade block.

The seminar was organized by the German Foundation Konrad Adenauer, the Brazilian International Relations Center and the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul with the participation of lawmakers from Mercosur full members Brazil and Paraguay plus peers from the European Union.

Senator Duarte recalled that the government of President Fernando Lugo only a couple of weeks ago decided to withdraw from Congress the proposal to include Venezuela in Mercosur and said that "personally I believe a long time will elapse before the initiative is presented again to the Paraguayan congress."

Mercosur leaders agreed to Venezuela's incorporation in December 2006, but since then only the Argentine and Uruguayan legislatives have approved the incorporation documents. The Brazilian and Paraguayan congresses still have to address the issue and there's a growing feeling contrary to such an approval, in spite of Brazilian president forecast that the issue "would be voted by September."

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez had strong words towards the Brazilian Senate: "oligarchs and lackeys of the US empire" plus the fact that a majority of Brazilian lawmakers believe the Venezuelan regime is violating the Mercosur "democratic clause."

The Paraguayan congress not only is at odds with President Lugo but is also suspicious of growing influence and links with the Venezuelan regime.

Another issue at the seminar was the apparent paralysis in the integration process of the trade block.

Brazilian lawmakers and Senator Duarte agreed that "Mercosur is not blocking Venezuela: it's the Caracas government with its decisions against the press, private property creating an environment not suitable for business."

Christian Burgsmüller from the European Union said that the EU is closely monitoring events in the country ruled by President Chavez, and "some of those decisions we have seen or are seeing are most delicate."

"Mind you," he added "what I'm saying is, I hope, understood in the best diplomatic language possible," concluded the EU representative.

Mercopress