MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazil not pressing Paraguay on Venezuela’s Mercosur incorporation

Paraguayan Foreign Affairs minister Héctor Lacognata

The Brazilian government is not putting pressure on the Paraguayan Congress to vote the full incorporation of Venezuela to Mercosur. Paraguay is the only remaining full member which still has to vote for Venezuela to join the South American trade block, following last week’s Brazilian senate divided approval.

“Brazil has not officially requested any thing of the sort”, said Paraguayan Foreign Affairs minister Hector Lacognata asked on the issue on Tuesday.

Venezuela’s incorporation depends on Paraguay’s approval.

Last August Paraguayan president Fernando Lugo withdrew the initiative after been informed he did not have the sufficient support in the Senate. The catch-all ruling coalition of President Lugo does not have a majority and is also divided on the issue.

Last July Brazil’s Lula da Silva and Lugo signed several agreements which contemplate some of Paraguay’s claims regarding the huge Itaipú dam power plant, the largest operational in the world and shared by the two neighbouring countries.

These agreements need congressional approval and the Brazilian side apparently is delaying their consideration.

Asked in Asunción specifically about the possibility that the Brazilian congress could be sitting on the initiatives so as to demand Paraguayan legislators a quick approval for Venezuela to join Mercosur, --of great interest for Brazil and Brazilian corporations--, Lacognata rejected such a possibility.

“Brazil officially has not requested that, I doubt they’d do it because the two issues are not linked in any way”, replied Lacognata.

So far the ruling coalition of President Lugo has been unable to muster the necessary votes in the Senate to approve Venezuela’s incorporation.

The Paraguayan Senate, as happened with the Brazilian Upper House which froze the matter for months, does not have a short memory and clearly remembers some of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez offensive and derogatory statements towards Paraguayan lawmakers such as “oligarchy pawns”.