MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Venezuela’s access to Mercosur should be cleared by May 26

Chavez's dreams could finally come true

Venezuela agreed to comply with Mercosur intra-trade conditions so that its stalled incorporation request can be finally approved by the Brazilian Congress. Hopefully the issue will be finalized for when President Hugo Chavez makes a state visit to Brazil next May 26, according to Brazilian Foreign Secretary Celso Amorim quoted by the Sao Paulo press.

Mr. Amorim spent three hours with President Hugo Chavez in Caracas and Venezuela’s Mercosur membership was top of the agenda, reports Folha de Sao Paulo.

“I suggested the technical teams meet to address and solve the issues because I am well aware that trade negotiations take a lot of time. This time it can’t be so, we need to act fast and President Chavez was totally in agreement”, said Amorim.

The Brazilian government proposal was for Venezuela to completely adapt to all intra-Mercosur trade policies so lawmakers who oppose Venezuela’s admission won’t have a motive to vote against.

“The purpose is for the trade issue to be solved before the state visit of President Chavez to Brazil next May 26”

The heart of the matter is a tariff exemption program for 500 goods so that the basic free trade conditions of the block can be achieved in accordance with Venezuela’s Mercosur Adhesion Protocol signed in 2006.

Mr. Amorim is scheduled to defend before the Brazilian Senate Foreign Affairs Committee the incorporation of Venezuela to Mercosur, and to argue that some sectors of the Venezuelan economy are not convinced of joining the group because they fear an invasion of Brazilian goods.

Argentina and Uruguay’s lawmakers have already approved Venezuela’s Mercosur incorporation, but Brazil and Paraguay are still pending.

In spite of President Lula da Silva’s administration insistence in Venezuela’s membership some Brazilian Senators are also fearful of the “ideological” content that Mr. Chavez could bring to Mercosur plus the fact they “don’t understand” the concept of democracy applied by the Bolivarian revolution.