MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Venezuela and Mercosur: a slow integration process

The recently named president of the Committee of Mercosur Permanent Representatives Carlos Chacho Alvarez underlined this Tuesday the importance of Venezuela's coming incorporation to the regional trade block.

"The incorporation of Venezuela is very important, because it reinforces the idea and strategic vision of Mercosur", said the former Argentine vice president in Buenos Aires.

Nevertheless Mr. Alvarez also pointed out that integration processes have their advances and back steps, ups and downs, and "therefore Venezuela's request is most important".

"Any process leading to the expansion of Mercosur makes the region stronger and we must learn to match expansion with confidence building, consensus to advance in those issues and fields that help deepen the integration process", stressed Mr. Alvarez.

Mercosur is "before an incredible historic opportunity, because there are several presidents with many coincidences".

"We must take advantage of this moment which we could in the future be describing as historic as far as defining priorities and objectives", said the new Mercosur permanent representatives Committee president who will be replacing former Argentine president Eduardo Duhalde this week in Montevideo.

More specifically on Venezuela Mr Alvarez said full integration has "several chapters" including tariff policies, regulations, "since Mercosur has quite a complex trade and legal framework built over the last fifteen years".

Venezuela's integration process to Mercosur will "not be brief, but with political determination it can be accelerated", concluded Mr. Alvarez.