MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Claims against Venezuela stir the Mercosur parliament

Adriana Peña resigned from the Human Rights Committee in protest

A Uruguayan lawmaker resigned from the Human Rights Committee of the Mercosur Parliament, Parlasur, in protest over the refusal of the commission to receive a delegation from Venezuela that claims the regime of President Hugo Chavez is violating freedom of expression.

Adriana Peña from the opposition Partido Nacional formalized her resignation on Tuesday, following the Monday incident at the Mercosur building in Montevideo.

The Venezuelan delegation was made up of six people among which representatives from the media and Caracas metropolitan Councillor Freddy Guevara.

The group which is opposed to President Chavez was unsuccessful in being granted a hearing by the Parlasur committee.

Apparently the group was prepared to give evidence on the closing down by the administration of President Chavez, alleging different reasons, of tens of broadcasting stations, plus “aggression incidents” against 146 journalists during the first eight months of this year.

“For over two years we have been studying a long list of claims from Venezuelan citizens against what they believe are violations or abuses of human rights in Venezuela by the government of Mr. Chavez”, said the Uruguayan lawmaker Peña.

She said that the committee’s decision not to address the claims was to avoid having to send a delegation to Venezuela to investigate the alleged violations.

Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay are full members of Mercosur while Venezuela’s incorporation request still has to be voted by the Brazilian Senate and the Paraguayan congress.