The Caribbean countries that depend economically from Venezuela have become a “cruel lobby”, strongly pressing to have Paraguay sanctioned by the Organization of American States claims that country’s representative.
Mercosur Review Standing Tribunal admitted the demand presented by the government of President Federico Franco against the suspension of Paraguay and thus object the incorporation of Venenzuela as full member of the regional block
Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez announced the creation of a strategic fund geared to support public and private exports to Mercosur, following his confirmation that he will fly to Brazil for the formal incorporation of his country as a full member of the block that also includes Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and suspended Paraguay.
The European lawmakers’ delegation said it was surprised with the drastic and quick determinations, with no right to defence or appeal, decided against Paraguay by Mercosur and Unasur, said Paraguayan Foreign Minister Jose Felix Fernandez Estigarribia, following a meeting in Asuncion with the visiting MEPs.
Former Brazilian president Fernando Enrique Cardoso said that his country is rapidly loosing influence in South America to Venezuela, following on remarks about the suspension of Paraguay from Mercosur.
President Hugo Chavez underlined the significance of the defence cooperation memorandum signed between Venezuela and Argentina which is part of “the necessary strategic integration of the armed forces in the framework of Mercosur and turning the block into a military power”.
Paraguay is optimistic about an Organization of American States resolution regarding recent events and the current situation in the country, despite strong criticism from other regional organizations such as Mercosur and Unasur.
The influential British business and politics magazine The Economist anticipates that following the latest decisions by Mercosur, the South American group has little if any future. The Economist argues that the mounting protectionism and the rule-breaking admission of Venezuela have fatally undermined a once-promising trade block.
Horacio Cartes a presidential hopeful from the Paraguayan hegemonic Partido Colorado said that exiting Mercosur would only cause the closure of industries and the loss of thousands of jobs in the country.
Brazil considers “important” that the Organization of American States, OAS, takes into consideration the decisions from Mercosur and Unasur relative to the suspension of Paraguay from the two regional groupings.