MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mercosur forgot to integrate with the rest of the world, says Piñera

The president said Chile has free trade agreements with 58 countries

Chilean president Sebastian Piñera said that Mercosur privileged integration among its members but forgot about integration with the rest of the world.

“Mercosur in its beginnings privileged internal integration among its members (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay). And I believe it forgot about integration with the rest of world, which is as important”, said the Chilean president in an interview with Brazil’s leading magazine Veja which begun circulating Sunday.

When asked if Chile would be interested in becoming a full member of Mercosur, Piñera stated that Chile defends “an open regionalism” and not limited to trade among the block’s members.

“The wish to integrate to the region must not impede that we build strong bonds with the rest of the world. That is why Chile has free trade agreements with 58 countries”, replied President Piñera.

Mercosur currently besides its four founding members has Venezuela in the process of integrating as full members and Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru as associates.

Piñera revealed to Veja that during his first conversation with Brazilian president-elect Dilma Rousseff, he expressed Chile’s wish to continue strengthening bilateral relations “as we did with President Lula da Silva, whom I consider a real friend”.

Rousseff following on the course set by President Lula da Silva has promised to continue deepening Mercosur integration, to ensure the incorporation of Venezuela to the block and keep expanding intra-trade.

This policy was criticized by the defeated presidential opposition candidate Jose Serra who complained that Mercosur limits Brazil’s negotiation capacity with other countries since decisions in the block demand a consensus. Serra was reflecting the opinion of a growing sector of Brazilian exporters.

Asked about his government’s policy towards Cuba, “a solitary voice in Latin America”, Piñera said that Chile bases its international policy in respect for International Law, non intervention in other countries’ internal affairs, defence of democracy, “but human rights are above man-made borders”.

“There are two values which must be defended above borders and they are democracy and human rights. In Cuba there’s no democracy or respect for human rights. Our position is to defend those basic principles in every corner of the world”, emphasized Piñera.