MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazil Senate denies delaying Venezuela's Mercosur membership

The recently nominated president of the Brazilian Senate Jose Sarney vehemently rejected on Tuesday claims he was intent in further delaying approval for Venezuela's incorporation to Mercosur.

"I'm not going to accelerate or delay any issue. All documents and bills will have to comply with all Senate procedures", said Sarney when asked about a vote on Venezuela's incorporation to the South American trade block which has been delayed for months. Jose Sarney, a former Brazilian president, elected to preside over the Senate last Monday has been repeatedly accused by the opposition of being the main impediment for Venezuela's entry into Mercosur. The Brazilian Lower House approved the incorporation protocol last December and must now be voted by the Senate. Brazilian president Lula da Silva has promised his Mercosur partners that Venezuela would be formally incorporated to the group during the first quarter of this year. The decision approving Venezuela's incorporation to Mercosur was approved during the presidential summit of July 2006, and since has been voted favourably in the Argentine and Uruguayan legislative branches. However Brazil and Paraguay have still to vote. Brazilian senators and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez had a serious confrontation when the charismatic populist leader accused the members of the Upper house of acting as "puppets" of the country's oligarchy and in accordance with the capital of the "evil empire" in reference to the administration of President George Bush and the US. But in spite of the offence and Chavez tepid apologies, following Lula da Silva's intervention, the bill remained stalled in the Brazilian senate. However Brazilian contractors and business leaders have lobbied strongly for the incorporation of Venezuela to Mercosur, although the political establishment feels a bit uneasy with Chavez radical stances in several issues. "But one thing is Chavez with the barrel of oil at 140 US dollars and another with oil at 40 US dollars, said Brazilian Senate sources" quoted in Brasilia's media.