MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguayan president visit to Paraguay to talk Mercosur and energy

Uruguayan president Tabare Vazquez will visit Paraguay during the present week

Uruguayan president Tabare Vazquez is scheduled to visit Paraguay this week to participate in a new anniversary of the country’s independence and hold private talks with President Fernando Lugo.

Vazquez will be arriving in Asuncion May 13 and the following day will hold a private meeting with Lugo. The visit has been described as “political and of protocol in response to an invitation from the Paraguayan president”, said Asuncion sources.

“Most probably the main issue will be Mercosur. Paraguay currently holds the pro tempore chair which will be passed on to Uruguay next June, for the following six months”, added the diplomatic sources.

Uruguay and Paraguay, junior members of Mercosur have a long list of “pending issues” with senior partners Argentina and Brazil which seen “to act as a private club, simply informing their partners of decisions taken that should be done by consensus”.

President Vazquez delegation includes the ministers of Industry, Energy and Mining, Daniel Martínez, and Transport and Public Works, Victor Rossi.

Uruguay faces a serious energy shortage because of insufficient rainfall and is interested in acquiring surplus power from Paraguay. However the issue won’t be easy since most of the surplus energy comes from Itaipú which under contract can only be sold to Brazil.

Last April Paraguayan Public Works minister Efrain Alegre and the president of the Navigation Administration Albino González were in Montevideo where they discussed with Rossi port policies and improved exploitation of the Parana-Uruguay rivers basin, a crucial issue for landlocked Paraguay.