“A coup against Mercosur” claims leading Brazilian newspaper
Brazil’s conservative but influential daily O Estado de Sao Paulo dedicated the main Tuesday editorial to the Mercosur suspension of Paraguay and the entrance of Venezuela arguing that what happened at the group’s summit in Mendoza was “a coup against” the block.
The editorial under the heading of “Coup against Mercosur” describes Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff decision to suspend Paraguay and incorporate Venezuela as “disastrous and shameful” and said the whole manoeuvring was “scandalous”.
Rousseff followed the orientations of her peer from Argentina Cristina Fernandez whose “democratic credentials are more than doubtful” says the editorial and regrets that the destiny of the regional group has been submitted to the political objectives of the Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, now that Paraguay’s parliament which was the only one blocking the incorporation, has been suspended from Mercosur.
“Besides representing a serious threat to Mercosur, already weakened by internal divisions because of protectionist practices and the lack of competitive integration capacity at global level, the decision favouring the access of Venezuela is very questionable legally” argues the newspaper since “Paraguay even suspended is still a member of Mercosur”.
And the big question is: following the 2013 presidential elections “the opposition from Paraguayan lawmakers to Venezuela’s incorporation will have lost effect?” asks O Estado de Sao Paulo.
Further more the newspaper affirms there is no possible way to doubt the legal basis of Fernando Lugo’s impeachment, but yes there are sound foundations to criticize the punishment inflicted on Paraguay. “Who in this story really merits to be called a coup sponsor?” asks the editorial. So far the diplomats and presidents involved in condemning Paraguay have been unable of sustaining their decision in a clear political foundation. There is a considerable difference in pointing out the expediency of the impeachment of President Fernando Lugo and proving the violation of a constitutional rule”.
The editorial asks a further question: following the suspension, “will the Paraguayans have an interest in remaining in Mercosur? The newspaper then refers to Argentine protectionism and the ban on Mercosur members of negotiating unitlaterally with third nations or blocks as one of the main obstacles for lucrative businesses with sides such as the US or the European Union.
“Maybe the Paraguayans will discover in their absurd isolation a further inspiration to free themselves from this failed customs union and search for relevant trade business for their country outside Mercosur”.
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26 comments Feed
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Does that so called left vs right paradigm even exist in Brazil?
The last time I visited that nation, nobody cared to answer (which is actually good news, never trust your government, no matter where you live).
Brazil goes around the world demanding the US and the UK not to intervene in internal conflicts in Syria and Iran.
Why don´t they follow the same philosophy in South America and let the Paraguayan people decide their future on their own terms and according to their own laws.
Because the US and UK come to Mercosur demanding non-intervention in internal matters but of course do the exact opposite themselves.
This circus around Mercosur has only showed the rest of the world that the arrogance and prepotence of the governments of Argentina and Brazil are not building a trade bloc, but rather dismantling it. Paraguay will leave them quickly, Chavez will make a fool of himself and yourselves. In the end it will be called the Mercommodity bloc!
I need some help here. I am not anti Mercosur and not an Argie basher as you know. I can't see good reason for the Mercosur reaction to Lugo's impeachment.
The impreachment was approved almost unanimously in both houses, which means it was supported across the political spectrum in Paraguay. It seems perfectlly legitimate.
What is the reason for suspending Paraguay from Mercosur. I am not trolling. I want to understand the otherside of this.
Good way not to respond to a post at all. What, won't you show me how suspending a country from a trade bloc is the same as the starving and sanctioning tactics the countries you so admire adhere to? I don't think anyone's gonna shed any tears for Paraguay if it does decide to leave for good -- otherwise Venezuela wouldn't be called in in the first place. You're Chávez bogeyman is kind og a dead horse.
Just a suggestion, you should rename NAFTA “NADROGA”, after all, that is what your country most offers the US... and the world.
Respectfully, Mercosur will shed tears if Paraguay leaves, because it will signal the death of that trade bloc for no other countries in the region will feel compel to join a trade bloc where two countries get to push the others around and change the rules arbitrarily.
Paraguay´s departure will also mean a set back to Brazil´s intention to create its own region of influence. Paraguay may decide to join the Pacific Alliance with Chile, Peru, Colombia and Mexico, or enter into free trade agreements with the United States, Mexico, Colombia and other countries.
The economic integration of South America will have to wait many more years for more visionary leaders than those who are today creating division and conflict among their neighbors and partners.
You forgot to add that the remittances that the illegal aliens from Mexico sent home, (number one export to the US, another reason they beg the US not to secure/close the border). That's number one income higher than the income from their failed PEMEX, second drugs and their narco war that's getting out of control. NAFTA was and still is a win for corporate USA who rapes both nations.
How is it that a nation so plagued with so many problems as Mexico still exports more high value manufactured goods than Brazil and Argentina together?
I cannot imagine what it will be like when those terrible problems are corrected.
But actually South America is the largest drug exporter in the world, and Brazil is in the list of countries most plagued with crime and drug cartels.
July 3 2012
“Abaten a cuatro sicarios en Monterrey”
Four hitmen killed in your city just a few hours ago and many other things.
Do you watch your local news?
www.blogdelnarco.com/
The very same senate of Paraguay that impeached thier own President, is the same people that have been effectively stopping Venezuela from Mercosur. For 5 years Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Lugo have been trying to make them a full member and when this impeachment thing showed up, I would guess that the other 3 nations saw it as an opportunity to get Venezuela in through the back door.
I dn't blaim them, Mercosur is an economical union, and Paraguay's senate keeping them out of the bloc is nothing but political. Furthermore, they put democracy aside when they removed their President from office.
So, Paraguay mix politics with economics and disregards democratic values, and now they cry because Latin America responds with the same coin...
Because it is true, Mercosur shouldn't be politics, and before a new member is accepted, all former members must agree.
There are oligarchic values not democratic values in the real world.
grow up !
You can see solely the seen part of iceberg not rest.
Like Greece to the Euro and Britain to EU just troubling countries.
@Fido Dido
“are those bogus conservatives that desperate?”
Yes
“Does that so called left vs right paradigm even exist in Brazil?”
Yes
Here in Europe we call Greece the “Argentina of Europe” due to similarities in their default circumstances.
Cristina's gender is doubtful, her democratic credentials are non-existent.
As TTT and Forgetit seem to have left you in the lurch, I'll have a shot at answering you from MY perspective:
As I see it the only reason for the suspension of Paraguay is purely political, the fear in the hearts of the pseudo left-wing Cristina and the truly left-wing Dilma and Pepe, that this could spread.
They see that one of their own, Lugo, is impeached by the people who he has been leading to destruction, and realize that their time COULD be up.
I don't think this could happen to Dilma, because apart from the stupidity of the protectionist policies of the last few months she is doing a good job, but certainly Cristina should be looking over her shoulder as her policies become more and more hysterical.
Reminds me of the nickname Mexico's football team has in the new world: The England of America.
Bright minds and not so bright ones may figure out why.
What you call “the Brazilian right” is not as powerful and biased as you think. In the first place, its influence is not as wide as that of the academia, which is indisputably dominated by the left. (In Brazil one can always go up in life without reading “Veja” or “O Globo”, but one can rarely do so without attending a university, where contact with some version or other of Marxism is mandatory. Besides, Brazilian higher education is generously funded out of tax revenues, with few questions asked, a condition of ease and comfort which no private media outlets enjoy.) In the second place, there is absolutely no distortion of the truth in describing neo-Bolivarism as both immoral and obtuse.
How is the constitutional, unanimous, impeachment undemocratic?
I am not judging mercosur, or saying they shouldn’t have suspended Paraguay, they will have their reasons, but is it not true to say this is just opportunism with a flimsy pretext?
Simon,
It is certainly political, but I don’t think that fear of political impeachment is the driving factor.
What is in this for Brazil?
Is the idea of a regional trade block not to free up trade internally and use collective weight to better negotiate with other blocks?
Mercosur seems to be achieving neither of these.
21 TTT Good one, I like it.
What can you expect mate?
They are good as Clarin a multimedia group with billions of dollar.
And taking in to account that the guys may be only have a little office in Uruguay and may be they are short of cash their job is quite good.
The only lamentable thing is that like Clarinete they read the same stuff but that can be changed I guess.
BWT how much will cost an especial interview with Dany Berger? I need to promote some stuff you know?
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