MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Venezuela begs Paraguayan congress to vote on Mercosur incorporation

Minister Nicolas Maduro represented President Chavez at the summit in San Juan

Venezuela’s Foreign Affairs minister Nicolas Maduro called on the Paraguayan parliament for a “sincere and fraternal” vote that opens the way for Venezuela’s incorporation to Mercosur as a full member, a request pending since 2006.

“We’re making a sincere and fraternal call to the political and economic sectors of Paraguay to open their hearts and look at how Venezuela has resuscitated. We belong, and we are Mercosur”, said Maduro addressing the XXXIXth Mercosur presidential summit on Tuesday in Argentina.

Maduro who is representing President Hugo Chavez at the summit said that Venezuela “already feels it is a full member of Mercosur” even when Paraguay still has to vote Caracas request.

The Venezuelan representative said that he had talked with his Paraguayan peer, minister Hector Lacognata about organizing meetings, in the coming months with Paraguayan politicians and businessmen.

“Let us hope that when the next Mercosur summit, in Brazil, we can finally define our incorporation as a full member of the group”, said Maduro.

Venezuela first considered joining Mercosur in Uruguay, in 2005, and the following year made the formal request and signed the protocol adhesion, which is awaiting the approval from the Paraguayan Congress.

Until Paraguayan lawmakers don’t ratify the protocol, Venezuela continues as an associate member, similar to the status of Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia and Ecuador.

Paraguayan president Lugo has insufficient votes in the Senate to force a vote and many lawmakers reject what they describe as President Chavez “authoritarian, quasi-dictatorial” regime that acts against the media and the opposition.

Maduro justified the absence of President Chavez from San Juan alleging health conditions and state business.

“Besides a strong flu we all know the president is facing a complex situation”, in reference to the conflict with Colombia.

“Unasur has advanced (towards a solution to the conflict). Venezuela wants peace in South America, we want to erase any shadow of war in the region”, he underlined.