Not without controversy Venezuela becomes Mercosur fifth full member
Following a full day of deliberations in Brasilia between Foreign Affairs ministers, the presidents from Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, on Tuesday will formally receive Venezuela as the new full member of Mercosur, as was agreed at the regular mid year summit in Mendoza.
The historic event, as it is described by Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, nevertheless has been plagued with controversy since the incorporation was decided on the absence of the fourth original Mercosur full member, Paraguay, suspended from the group until April next year, and contrary to basic consensus rules.
In Brazil the procedure used to implement the incorporation decision has been consistently criticized by opposition leaders, lawmakers and law professors. Likewise in Uruguay where even Vice-president Danilo Astori has openly clashed with President Jose Mujica saying the procedure is illegal and could represent the “kiss of death” for the Mercosur group which took off in 1991 in Paraguay.
Mujica has argued that sometimes the political must prevail over the juridical, and “this was one case”, adding that Venezuela as an energy powerhouse would further strengthen the group, balance inside forces and open other opportunities to expand in the region..
But Mujica will be focusing on other issues in Brasilia: the River Plate canal dredging differences with Argentina for which he is hoping on a bilateral meeting with Cristina Fernandez (despite her refusal to address foreign ministry affairs) and which has exposed a serious confrontation between the neighbouring countries.
The Uruguayan president will also hold talks with the host President Dilma Rousseff hopefully to sign several bilateral agreements referred to infrastructure, energy, ship yards, science and technology, plus attracting investments in new alternative energies such as wind.
The Brazilian Foreign ministry said in a release that with the incorporation of Venezuela, (the main oil producer of South America with 2.3million bpd) Mercosur will represent 83% of South America’s GDP.
Earlier in the day the foreign ministers addressed legal and practical trade issues so that Venezuela adapts to Mercosur nomenclature and the common external tariff plus the list of exceptions (safeguards) she’s entitled to. It was agreed Venezuela would have until 2016 to get all these issues straightened out.
Although the formal presidential summit of incorporation for Venezuela takes place on Tuesday with the attendance of Argentina’s Cristina Fernandez, Uruguay’s Jose Mujica, Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez and the host Dilma Rousseff, the full annexation will effectively occur on August 12.
On that day a month will have passed since Venezuela deposited its ratification of the Mercosur protocol, as demanded by the group’s rules.
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Didn't realise that the nations of Mercosur+Paraguay were *Annexing* (sic) Venezuela!
Mujica probably had it better when he said that the Mercosur nations were joining Venezuela.
VE may be a crazy nation but it has the black gold that nations crave; and with VE within the boma, everybody inside gets VE oil 'cheaper'.
This is 'Latin American' democracy on action. If we want something badly enough, we'll just break our own laws and do it anyway.
A colon and a sphincter, perhaps.
Or two scorpions seeking free frogs.
But you must appreciate our position. We are a small nation sandwiched between two giants, either of which could take us over in a day as our armed forces are negligible - no Royal Navy destroyers to back us up! Politics is the art of the possible. Our govt was freely elected without fraud and we do prize our democratic ideals. Having said that its about time Pepe put his trousers on to defend the national interests of all Uruguayans
#1, #2 if it's legal to arm terrorists and kill Muslims to UK and USA I am sure what mercosur did is legal. www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=26686
#3, #4 paraguay was suspended for not having a legal representative and mercosur can't be incapacitated do to one rogue nation. File a complaint and wait quietly.
#5 witch latin American country do you hate the most ?? and can you tell us where are from??
#6 apparently you never traveled beyond your front door, you might find it interesting that the American free trade agreements works the same way, I pay taxes at the border on all whines and liquor and some stuff like food products get destroyed at the border. We don't complain why do you??
#8 Mujica is really happy for Venezuela why can't you be as well. Mujica is from Uruguay where are you from??
#9 you sound like a Venezuelan or Argentine molested you as a child, we are sorry but maybe you being a flaming homosexual had a lot to do with it, try speaking like a man or at the very least like a boy.
Colon mouth......again you prove you know nothing. My in laws are from Argentina as my wife lived there up until a few years ago. I've been to south america more times than I can count. I am not complaining ......you are not worth any air.
You really need to do this blog a favor and slice you wrists with a rusty razor. You're a jealous little pissant.
Everyone I know in Argetnina complains......but than they work and pay income taxes......not living off handouts.
You
I could not see how, so I asked some business friends here. They can't see how either.
Old mans dreams.
Astori is a very questionable asset since it was he who agreed the original Pluna deal with an outfit who had never run an airline.
I send a message to the people of Mercosur you just kill the future of Latin America. Who will sign a treaty with mercenaries? All their leaders are convicted felons’.
Chris I would agree about Astori. He is supposed to be a top flight economist who ran the economy pretty well. Leadgate was a bad mistake but I was pleased to see Ex presi Vasquez step up to the plate and say “I was president at the time: the buck stops with me”
as for brasiliero @21, can you please explain your woolly remark? I dont understand it
so much press in MP about a sportman putting a foot over a step part of a monument, there should be the same press about the kicking of the Virgin protecting the arg soldiers in the cementary. Glad to see ex combatientes sending letters to Cancillería and embassies asking for explanations.
Many things you don't understand indeed, it doesn't stop you from posting your views on it, does it?
Besides, why should people posts be dependant on your capacity of understanding them? I fully understand Brasileiro's post...
#26 lol since when was ignorance a limitation to white trash stupidity??
Colon breath, you pay more in taxes than my entire income. How massively stupid is that statement when you do not even know what my income is or even what I do shit breath.
I believe you pay more taxes because you are a Christina whore. Your nose is so far up her brown stained asshole that when the day comes she stops short, you will shoot out her mouth.
I'm an American you fuckwad moron!!
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