MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Mercosur announced admission of Venezuela as a full member end of July
Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay made official on Friday the temporary suspension of Paraguay from Mercosur, because of the ‘summary’ removal of President Fernando Lugo and at the same time announced Venezuela will be incorporated to the group on July 31 at a meeting in Rio do Janeiro. Read full article
Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesThere is no doubt that Kretina is united with the other anti-democratic presidents in fear and horror, she is seeing in Paraguay what is in store for her, but instead of being allowed to sink into normal life she will be impeached and then tried for grand theft.
Jun 30th, 2012 - 12:55 am - Link - Report abuse 0Welcome Venezuela!
Jun 30th, 2012 - 01:03 am - Link - Report abuse 0How much stupid the Mercosur leaders can be....???? They have suspended Paraguay because a summary president replacement (but totally acording on its Constitution) and have deiced at the same time to admit Venezuela as full member when its presidente was elected ilegally after a change of their Constitution (while th runner was at the office) to allow the RE- RE- RE-ELECTION now by 5th term the same person sithout interval...So they are changing fresh meat by rotten meat.......
Jun 30th, 2012 - 01:06 am - Link - Report abuse 0MercosURSS
Jun 30th, 2012 - 01:08 am - Link - Report abuse 0Criminals
Oh well always the same
I ll keep watching the pre Olympics selection for Tean USA
Comment removed by the editor.
Jun 30th, 2012 - 02:30 am - Link - Report abuse 0Sergio, you could not be more wrong. Chavez is not Venezuela and Venezuela was admitted to Mercosur and not Chavez. In addition, Unasur just voted unanimously to also suspend Paraguay. The country is completely isolated not from just the Southern Cone and South America but also the rest of the continent. Not even the US has recognized the government of Franco.
Jun 30th, 2012 - 02:57 am - Link - Report abuse 0A trial where the accused is given 2 hours to present his/hers defense is one without “due process.” Period! Let alone a trial to remove a President elected by the people. Why? Simply because the charges brought could not pass any kind of scrutiny. This was a coup d’état orchestrated by the Red Party of Paraguay, the party of Alfredo Stroessner and the recalcitrant Paraguayan oligarchy, who could not win at the ballot box.
I do not like Chavez. However, when Mercosur negotiates with other blocks, it brings Venezuela and the biggest oil reserves in the world – a major plus. How long do you think Chavez has left? Not more than a year because of health reasons or he might not even win the upcoming elections. The same rules that apply to Paraguay also apply to Venezuela. No leader is eternal not even my Cristina - ask Qadafy, Sadam, Mubarek. Regardless, it was imperative to bring Venezuela now!
They're cooked!
Jun 30th, 2012 - 03:16 am - Link - Report abuse 0http://www.infobae.com/notas/656395-El-Mercosur-no-permitira-el-ingreso-de-barcos-con-bandera-de-Malvinas.html
Venezuela has oil and a larger, more prosperous market than Paraguay. It has more to offer to the group, which it had only been prevented from joining by Paraguay's impertinence. Let the Paraguayans die in anger now.
Jun 30th, 2012 - 03:21 am - Link - Report abuse 0UK and MercoPress, envy kill you ->
Jun 30th, 2012 - 03:40 am - Link - Report abuse 0http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O13X7D7KBTQ
Sudamérica rules!!
Franco is “threatening” to negotiate new trading agreements outside Mercosur? With whom? Only Germany and three others have recognized his government and Germany negotiates through the EU. Does anyone think the US (the one who might benefit the most – break up Mercosur and establish military bases close to the Paraguay – Parana River basin) will recognize the new Paraguayan regime? Brazil will consider it an upfront!
Jun 30th, 2012 - 04:25 am - Link - Report abuse 0IMHO, the only question remaining is how long does the Franco regime has left? A week or two at most, before he resigns and the new President will call for accelerated elections. Back to the drawing boards, boys. The oligarchy and foreign powers underestimated the swift and unanimous reaction from the all the South American nations.
TWIMC
Jun 30th, 2012 - 05:03 am - Link - Report abuse 0Unasur’s and Mercosur’s democratic clauses seem to be working just fine...
A proud week for South-American democratic institutions…
Still interesting to see where the USA goes on this one…
“Economic sanctions always end as a burden for the people, never governments. None of our peoples can be exposed to sufferings from decisions from a sector of their leadership”, said the Argentine president.
Jun 30th, 2012 - 05:19 am - Link - Report abuse 0what about the economic sanctions against the Falklands Cristina????? Boluda
Sorry, but I forgot to make a very important point. The message from Mercosur to the foreign powers that conspired in the Paraguayan coup was loud and clear: you took out Paraguay, but we brought in Venezuela. You are worse off now than before.
Jun 30th, 2012 - 05:30 am - Link - Report abuse 0This is clearly the end of Mercosur, which we could loosely call a trade bloc. No country in the world will take them seriously anymore with a clown like Chavez sitting at the negotiation table.
Jun 30th, 2012 - 08:42 am - Link - Report abuse 0This article picture seemed 3 persons doing folkloric dance while waiting welcome Hugo C....?
Jun 30th, 2012 - 08:52 am - Link - Report abuse 0@Simon68
Jun 30th, 2012 - 09:23 am - Link - Report abuse 0Why do you say that Simon?
I guess Mercosur move was quite good by incorporating Venezuela under the umbrella of Mercosur the block as a whole has assured a partner with holds one of the biggest reserves of oil in the western hemisphere.
This will provide more business for companies within the block.
I don’t see in anyway that what happen in Paraguay will have any success in Argentina because there is not based support for that, you need consensus.
I guess that someone that will try something like this will end like Mussolini hanging in Piazzale Loreto.
And powerful business interest will not allow that because they will lose a lot of $$$ if ARG is isolated like Paraguay within Mercosur.
You don’t like democracy Simon?
If you do there is something called Vote a powerful tool that you can use in the next election to choose you favourite candidate.
BTW who is your favourite candidate?
Because you have to have one to replace what you don’t like.
@KFC de Pollo
She was talking just about people mate.
Europe's perspective. Venezuela is the S American equivalent of Iran. For a respectable country like Brazil to be associated with them, doesn't look good.
Jun 30th, 2012 - 09:44 am - Link - Report abuse 0And thus evaporates any last vestige of credibility that Mercosur had left in the international community (and that wasn't a lot)
Jun 30th, 2012 - 09:54 am - Link - Report abuse 0Fairly obvious that this “Paraguayan situation” has been “orchestrated”. The most likely culprits being argieland and Brazil with the weak-kneed support of Uruguay.
Jun 30th, 2012 - 10:03 am - Link - Report abuse 0Who has something to gain from the Mercosur “suspension” of Paraguay? Argieland, Brazil and Venezuela. Let's consider the incredibly fast responses. Within hours ambassadors are being recalled, the democratically-elected National Congress is being undermined and argieland is starting to make the decisions. In days, Venezuela is being admitted to Mercosur, so that it will, effectively, consist of “the big three” and little Uruguay. Little Uruguay probably won't last long. Argieland can “recover” another bit of territory and 'Pepe' can go back to farming! Brazil will probably get Paraguay since there are so many Brazilians already in the country.
“U R frendzz witch diss cuntray i dont leyeke!
Jun 30th, 2012 - 10:05 am - Link - Report abuse 0i gonna take da credibility boll wit meee!”
I have to confess I missed this one coming. I was perplexed by Dilma, KFC and Co.'s apparent enthusiasm to persecute Paraguay disproportionately for a minor technical breach of it's constitution. I'd assumed it was something to do with Paraguay's relatively good relationship with the United States, and their military cooperation. So obvious now, with hindsight. They grabbed this opportunity with both hands to prevent Paraguay vetoing Venezuelan membership of their little club. Sneaky these South American ex-terrorists.
Jun 30th, 2012 - 10:21 am - Link - Report abuse 0A minor breach results in regime change!
Jun 30th, 2012 - 10:38 am - Link - Report abuse 0NAME CHANGE:
Jun 30th, 2012 - 11:53 am - Link - Report abuse 0Let's make it official: The original Mercosur, a customs union of the Southern Cone of South America, became a “questionable” political entity, and now with Chavez achieving the next step in his Americas strategy, the name should be changed to Venesur!
Countries with strong democratic histories are recognizing what happened in Paraguay as legal and legitimate while Venezuela and other countries with less reputable democratic organizations are calling it a government coup. What a joke it is when Chavez criticizes another country's democratic process. Very convenient that Paraguay was banned just long enough from Mercosur to allow Venezuela to become a member. Talk about illegitimate processes, suspend the only country that votes no and then vote again.
Jun 30th, 2012 - 12:50 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Now lets restore order in Paraguay and the backlash is complete :)
Jun 30th, 2012 - 12:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Warm welcome to Venezuela into Mercosur, finally :) :)
Love the photo.
Jun 30th, 2012 - 12:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You put your [right leg] in,
You put your [right leg] out;
You put your [right leg] in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the hokey pokey,
And you turn yourself around.
That's what it's all about!
With Chávez regime coming into Mercosur, Venezuela drags closer to Mercosur's members its other global alliances, including Castro's Cuba, Ahmadinejad's Iran, Communist China, Putinist Russia, etc. Likewise, Israel is no longer recognized by Venezuela, replaced by the Palestinian National Authority. The border issues for Venezuela still include its claim to a massive part of Guyana, as well as issues with Colombia and Dominica.
Jun 30th, 2012 - 01:14 pm - Link - Report abuse 0If Mercosur demands “a full democracy”, as an “essential condition for the process of integration”, the problem is not the non-Lugo Paraguay, but is Venezuela. Already, Chávez' Venezuela has been criticized by international human rights and freedom organizations. Venezuela's Corruption Perception Index value at 1.9/10 is even worse than Argentina's 3/10.
CPI: http://cpi.transparency.org/cpi2011/results/
aargghh Guzz the ships cat is back
Jun 30th, 2012 - 02:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 028 slattzzz
Jun 30th, 2012 - 02:57 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You have a spelling error - the 'c' should be an 'r'.
Great for MERCOSUR. Why the complaints about the Lugo impechment? It was no surprise. There was widespread dissatisfaction w/ him for various reasons. The vote against him was overwhelming. He is gone-- its over with. The issue is the future of Paraguay. The Paraguayan Colorados who thought they were so shrewd to junk Lugo shot themselves in the foot-allowing the other MERCOSUR states to finally allow Venezuela in -not Chavez -as was mentioned above( really clever move . Paraguay should not make any foolish mistakes. If Paraguayans think they can create FTA's w/other states-so be it-but what are they going to trade-vegetables? Easter baskets? blankets? What can the country offer the world? As you can see Paraguay FTA's w/ other coutnries is a a madcap idea. It is too late for Paraguay to industrialize & compete w/ the heavyweights. Is Paraguay going to import cars from the UK/Germany? Fine, but only the rich have that luxury. Its smarter for Paraguay to remain in MERCOSUR and continue importing manufactured goods/cars from Brazil and Argentina. Colorados of Paraguay play it safe-play it cool-you will only outsmart yourselves again if you negotiate any outside FTAs. Think pragmatically on behalf of your people instead fo ideologically. FTA's are dead ends-look at Mexico in NAFTA!!. Everyone knows Mexico is the net loser in that org. Granted the impeachment of Lugo was no coup-Granted Paraguay should not be suspended. MERCOSUR'S decision to suspend Paraguay was an act of realpolitik and the people of the region including Paraguay will be so much better off for it. Cynical political acts are everyday occurences in the USA/UK and the rest fo the civilized world-so get over it-stop your pouting and work together with your neighbors. America is your backyard so do the smart thing and take advantage of it as you have always done in the past. An outside FTA means that Paraguay, in the words of James Bond, will eventually “have to face gravity.”
Jun 30th, 2012 - 04:11 pm - Link - Report abuse 0US military base in Paraguay soon, you have opened the door and it's to late to shut it now losers
Jun 30th, 2012 - 05:04 pm - Link - Report abuse 0No access to the sea, damn theres a shame, airspace fairly restricted too, another shame. Chile would probably let us overfly, grease Bolivias pocket enough, they might also come on board.
Jun 30th, 2012 - 05:35 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Comment removed by the editor.
Jun 30th, 2012 - 05:38 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Conqueror
Jun 30th, 2012 - 06:11 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The more they argue and jostle with eah other , the better for the Falklands.
Your anology with Germany is spot on, had we done this after the Great War, there would never been another war with them. That was a hard lesson for us to learn, but we learned it the hard way.
It seems to me that history is repeating itself, having learned from our mistake of the past, we were willing to forget and progress in our relationship with them. They however seem to be hell bent on repeating the same mistakes has of Germanys past. Do you think the influence of the Nazis they gave shelter to, is influencing them. Seems reasonable to me, no doubt, many of those nazi descendants are advising those in power over there.
You think we are destined to fight and defeat them again, before they see sense?
correction...
Jun 30th, 2012 - 06:35 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Arginland which is a place northern Midland/England not Argieland .
~~~~~~
34
Britain owed to Germany 522 billions $
this money feeds you all lazy people,
go make war with them,if you can.!
TT
Jun 30th, 2012 - 07:05 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Why on gods earth would we want to make war on Germany?
It happened twice, It will never happen again, they are now our friends.
I had the honour of serving with many german soldiers and socialising, nice word socialising, don't you think, with their families. A german soldier is god father to my daughter. I trusted him with my life and he trusted me with his!Some of the best friends are German and they are some the nicest people I know. Why the fuck, would we want to revisit the mistakes of the past on each other. You could learn a very, very, very good lesson from current Anglo German relations, but you will not will you!!
You seem determined to carry on 82, while we who are descendants of 39 - 45 wish no harm or ill will toward each other, get on and prosper as best we can.
Stupid, stupid fucking remark! just shows your inate juvenile understandingof our past and our present relations. Make war on Germany, your fucking insane!!!
@36 Well said mate
Jun 30th, 2012 - 07:26 pm - Link - Report abuse 036
Jun 30th, 2012 - 07:41 pm - Link - Report abuse 0History showed us that Germany got their Europe after all and all you are doing is repeating Chamberlains exact words :) :)
Showed us? Can't remember you doing anything about Germany my little ships cat except harbouring thier war criminals, but heyhoo we've moved on and learnt lessons where as you are stuck in the past and don't learn your lessons hence it looks like we will have to remind you again where you sit in the worlds table
Jun 30th, 2012 - 08:01 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I'm sorry slattzzz, this time you'll dine alone :)
Jun 30th, 2012 - 08:09 pm - Link - Report abuse 036 ** 37
Jun 30th, 2012 - 08:18 pm - Link - Report abuse 0hhhaaaahhaaaa
You are [ tiger ] against poor Latin American countries...but..
You are [ lamb ] against Europe...
6@ Hector.....Yor are wrong at all.....you haven´t long term vision really....
Jun 30th, 2012 - 08:54 pm - Link - Report abuse 0First, if Lugo wasn´t given time enough to a defense....how mauch time was given to new Paraguayan Gvt. to do the same at the Mercosur & Unasur meetings...??? That's the regular way of action of leftist Gvts., “ You can act like that but I can do it...!!!”
Second, why Mercosur didn´t await tor the next meeting where Paraguay will be back at the group considering it was a founder & pro tempore president ....???
Venezuela black hand acting storng there.....Smells bad in the neighbor......
Unfortunately, my country have hadn´t balls enough to reject the Argentine imposition.....Bad, bad Piñera you are on the wrong track....
Sergio, no worries my friend, Bachelet will soon again put you in the right track :)
Jun 30th, 2012 - 09:19 pm - Link - Report abuse 0We'll see my little moggy
Jun 30th, 2012 - 10:34 pm - Link - Report abuse 0It wwould a full tragedy for my country, certainly....It will means that te corruption, bad management and all the bad political bad practices will return to one of the few countries in SA that have the opportunity to reach the developed county level but, in the case that person return to the office it will means that it´s what the most of us deserve, nothing more and we can keep our good expectations as a country up to a new good president take the job when finish this grandmother-like politician that isn´t capable to face her responsabilityfor her bad command when the tsunami kill a lot of Chileans and then she run away to hide herself into the UN laberynth.
Jun 30th, 2012 - 10:38 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Whith her the country just have received bad things like the transantiago trasnport system, low growing rates, corruption and the perception that the Gvt. jobs are for payiong ploitical favors to an elite from the coalition parties....
Through this almost three years of Piñera´s term, even with the earthquake & tsunami strike and the fierce opposition from the former ruling coalition and the comunist attack through the students unions, the country have seen the best growth from the time before the leftist Gvts. we suffered during 20 years....each one worst than the precedent.
But you need to have suffered those years to understand what it can measn....And I don´t want this experience to anybody, even our enemies....Just take a look to the poor Venezuelans how they are living under a close friend of Chanchelet (Porkylet, it means).....
Guzz
Jun 30th, 2012 - 11:01 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Man you are living proof that there is no intelligence in the head of a prick!
What gives you the right to comment on our war with Germany? You were not involved, so butt out!! tosser!!
MercoPress, envy to see united Latin America eats you mind!, In less than a year old when Paraguay and is again within the Mercosur and Unasur, you'll want to die of envy, envy to see us together!.
Jun 30th, 2012 - 11:11 pm - Link - Report abuse 0envy, envy, envy, envy ... envy kill you!
:o)
reality_check
Jun 30th, 2012 - 11:21 pm - Link - Report abuse 0What? When did I comment your war on Germany??? Even if I had, most of the population of the world, including your own country “were not involved”, although quite a few of them have an opinion on the matter. That said, I could not care less on “your war on Germany” :)
@ Steve-32-uk
Jul 01st, 2012 - 12:07 am - Link - Report abuse 0“Europe's perspective. Venezuela is the S American equivalent of Iran. For a respectable country like Brazil to be associated with them, doesn't look good.”
Ha ha
I guess that Argentina and Brazil don’t care much about Europe perspective Der Präsident Hugo is a good friend of Argentina and Brazil and has a lot of oil that US and others would love to put their hands on.
And EU at the moment is a slave of Russian/Putin gas and oil trade.
Just in case you don’t know how is controlling your heating and cocking gas stuff.
http://saltanoticias.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vladimir-putin.jpg
“Europe plunged into energy crisis as Russia cuts off gas supply via Ukraine”
http://saltanoticias.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vladimir-putin.jpg
@reality check
“It will never happen again, they are now our friends”
We are not, just using you to archive our own goals.
@Guzz
Agree
@TipsyThink
“You are [ tiger ] against poor Latin American countries...but..
You are [ lamb ] against Europe...”
They are always lambs.
@Sergio Vega
No need of time to be given because is not a trial just a suspension of Paraguay until they fulfil with democratic process clause as MS requires.
DB
Jul 01st, 2012 - 12:29 am - Link - Report abuse 0You a german.
Like fuck, your probably a descendant of one of the scum that escaped justice. Show your face in your fatherland and they will archive your goals up your ass. You expat nazis really piss me off, your real people stayed, endured, suffered and prospered. Of course your grandad could not do that cos he would have swung. You jack booted tossers now strutt around South America, acting like you are once again the master race, dictating your soppy politics to no one who will fucking listen to you. Why don't you go back to your nazi grand dad and listen to how he failed to conquer the world while he was murdering and raping all of Europe. German my ass, them at least I respect, you, you cowards ran away are fucing dispicable!!!!!!!! Master race, more like Master fucking disgrace!!!
To Reality check
Jul 01st, 2012 - 08:57 am - Link - Report abuse 0HaHa!
I just read an old reply you made to me about the Argentinian psyche: I cracked up laughing reading it, but can't say if it's true: only outsiders living in Argentina can really comment but it is FUNNY:
(from Reality check)
“To true. but it does piss you off when they when they try to make you the villian of the the world. When they blame you centuries after events for everything from the plague, to Hiv. Okay, I am going overboard, but fuck them!! Just what have they done bad or good that effected the rest of us in the modern world? Jack shit, thats what, I for one am getting pissed off on them riding on the coat tails of others. You tell me, go on tell me, of just one fucking thing they have ever done to contribute to the betterment of this world, and what fucking right they have to slag off others that have. The Argentines are just a small petty minded people with visions of great granduer, good at talking but fucking useless at producing. Legends in their own minds and fucking useless at anything else.”
I salute you, if only for the wit as I've only ever met one of them and she was rather alright! :)
Moriety
Jul 01st, 2012 - 09:04 am - Link - Report abuse 0That's him in a nutcase alright, taking credit for what people has done in Europe over the centuries without contributing with anything himself. What has reality_check done to improve anyones life but his own? Big words from a small man...
Aw come on mate, that was funny, even if you disagree with the sentiment!
Jul 01st, 2012 - 09:28 am - Link - Report abuse 0This made me laugh the most:
”The Argentines are just a small petty minded people with visions of great granduer, good at talking but fucking useless at producing. Legends in their own minds and fucking useless at anything else.”
It could almost be the English (of which I'm one) he was talking about so I laughed twice.
Demeaning others isn't clever, but us Brit's have a good sense of caustic, sharp humour, and most of us, in my generation, happily take insults directed at us without taking offence. If you say one thing about the English in the British Isles it's that we are always happy to learn how others view us and never take offenxe if it's in the negative.
Okay, so I allowed them to wind me up and I got carried away, I apologise for that. Though I stick by most of it, just what have they done? nothing really.
Jul 01st, 2012 - 09:47 am - Link - Report abuse 0Guzz, as for me being a “nutcase” etc, are you not the one who believes that the US orchestrated 9/11, murdered 3000+ of their own people,, so they could prosecute a war on Islam!!!
One thing to postulate it, another thing to believe it, if your sane mate then I am most certainly a doolally tupp, dyed in the wool, 100% nut job, with cherries on.
“Europe's perspective. Venezuela is the S American equivalent of Iran. For a respectable country like Brazil to be associated with them, doesn't look good.”
Jul 01st, 2012 - 10:19 am - Link - Report abuse 0Iran is a great country -- an old civilization, a peaceful populace, a sophisticated culture, and a nationalist country that pursues its interests without bothering with the bullying of the Western exceptionalists, who are themselves responsible for so much suffering throughout the world. Venezuela only gains in my eyes from being compared to Iran.
@55
Jul 01st, 2012 - 10:28 am - Link - Report abuse 0Yep, it has cornered the market on public hangings too, hear the tickets are hard to come bye.
reality_check
Jul 01st, 2012 - 11:32 am - Link - Report abuse 0Did I say nutcase? Of course I meant nutshell... Hey, I could even argue that a nutshell IS a nutcase, quite literally :)
You guys are no nutcases, friend, you are very much aware on the damage you bring on nature and world population, you just don't care as long as it doesn't affect you. You talk about Venezuela and Iran as if they are criminal nations. I understand why you disagree with Venezuela, sovereig nation that doesn't invade anyone to impose its wills, nation that don't surveil its citizens, treating everyone as potential criminals. Nation that passes through plebiscites and referendums to make changes to their society instead of passing bills and occasionally vote, only to vote again should the outcome not be satisfactorial. Of course you don't comprehend Venezuela...
@25 Aaaah, yes. I seem to recall that Hitler went a lot of places to “restore order”!
Jul 01st, 2012 - 11:57 am - Link - Report abuse 0@33 I see my comment @33 got deleted. If I recall correctly it was the one where I suggested that S. Am.'s “big three” may soon be moving to an “ever closer union”. Where have I heard that before? argieland wilol soon be “recovering” some more territory, i.e. Uruguay, whist Brazil will take Paraguay. Little Bolivia might get its access to the Pacific. The “Arica Corridor” perhaps? Chile needs to stay alert. Chavez may wish to be emperor before he dies. Now why would anyone object? It's just speculation. Or is it too close to the truth?
@49 Do you think it would help if you didn't quote 2 and 3 year old articles? Credibility is not your long suit, is it?
@51 You do have more psychiatrists than anywhere else in the world, right? Why would that be?
@52 Haven't seen you “contribute” anything! Pot, kettle.
@54 Read the context. He doesn't mean “nutcase”, he means “nutshell”. Foreigners always have to be allowed enough rope. So we can wind it round their necks and swing them from it.
@55 Aaaah, yes. Iran. A country of islamic fundamentalists bent on world domination. You do understand that, don't you? If you are not Islamic, you are to be fought, conquered, enslaved, exploited, murdered. Does that sound like argie “soul brothers”? So what's your future? Forced worship of emperor Hugo? Islamification or else? Or up to your thighs all day in the (Chinese) paddy fields?
Gotta say, Mercopress got off to a flyer last week announcing that Venezuela was a full member of Mercosur ...... amazing foresight or insider information?
Jul 01st, 2012 - 12:53 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Interesting comments from Sergio v Hektor, Conqueror and Alexi, and an unworthy blandness from Think.
The key issue seems to be whether the Lugo impeachment and the Franco replacement was part of a Machiavellian plan by AR, BR & UR to remove PA's block to VE's membership of Mercosur before Chavez's death, or whether the three Members simply saw the main-chance opportunity to side-step the block and took it.
It must have been so frustrating for CFK, Dilma and Mujica, not being able to get Hugo on the team.
The longer term questions now will be
(i) will Venezuela drag economic policy and practice in directions that do Brasil harm?
(ii) will new political (Bolivarian) pressure cause Brasil to fund further the poor and politicians across Mercosur and ALBA, and how will Brasil respond to these pressures now VE is within the Club?
(iii) will bilateral trade deals/FTZs proliferate or will Mercosur now become a real trading bloc with an 'one for all and all for one' approach to trading between themselves and with the outside world?
I think Mr Think would like to believe in (iii) option 2, but I think it is 'pie in the sky'.
@2,10,11,25,35
Jul 01st, 2012 - 02:54 pm - Link - Report abuse 0But is it goodbye G20 for Argentina?
Regarding CFK's last spate at the G20, a number of countries have been asking that Argentina be replaced by either Malaya or Norway. Membership of the G20 is based on a country's size and economic importance and rule of law concerning a market based economy.
Given Argentina's recod over the last decade, it is unsurprising that the country would fail to qualify for the G20 under the current criteria.
Brit Bob
Jul 01st, 2012 - 03:03 pm - Link - Report abuse 0you are talking nonsense, Argentina has had a steady growth in this last past decade, even if a bit stagnated because of the import restrictions, the growth is still on the positive, and with the Chinese entering the market, there is no end in sight just yet. Google it yourself.
@59 You shouldn't be too hard on Uruguay. It is, after all, led by a frightened, senile, old man out of his depth. An old man who would be pressed to remember how to plant onions! Will Uruguayans see the truth? Or continue to be argie-controlled patsies? How much has argieland stolen from Uruguay by refusing to buy its currency back? Could Uruguay be a brave, courageous nation committed to doing “the right thing”? It was at the beginning at WW2 when it paved the way to the scuttling of the nazi “Admiral Graf Spree” warship. Perhaps there will be some more “deniers” that seek to have that FACT deleted. What a pity the “Admiral Graf Spee” didn't progress further up-river to their argie “friends”. Wiping out both would have been such a GOOD thing!
Jul 01st, 2012 - 03:12 pm - Link - Report abuse 0http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCEgcd7G9Bg
Jul 01st, 2012 - 04:51 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Here conqueror, have a taste of some sanity from a frightened, senile old man
In honoured to call him my President :)
@30 4Vanguard
Jul 01st, 2012 - 06:20 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Excellent post.
@55 Forgetit
Iran is a great country in terms of its culture and history and only a philistine would disagree with you on that point. However it is not a free country.
Should you ever venture there you would see there is very low (visible) crime, just like there was here during the Pinochet years. There is no internet access with the outside world, so an Iranians can’t even opine on a forum like this.
The people there are wonderfully hospitable and they are usually delighted to be able to talk to a foreigner – but once they are in your confidence they will let you know their discontent with the ruling religious regime.
Guzz,
Jul 01st, 2012 - 06:21 pm - Link - Report abuse 0re: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCEgcd7G9Bg (recommended).
I agree with the words of wisdom of this old and experienced fighter for the freedoms of man.
You don't have to agree with a person's politics to recognise truths when you hear them.
Routes to an alternative paradigm should not include those of CFK however, and the solutions to post-capitalistic South American societies do not track exclusively through socialism.
For the vast majority of South Americans, the fruits of 'capitalism' have never been tasted - being diverted to the households of the 'political classes'..... in ostensibly socialist countries.
Could there be a S.A. model based on altruism?
Both human societies AND the environment might benefit. This is Mujica's message.
It could involve the rewriting of “.... to each according to his greed” to “....to each according to his needs”.
Seem to remember this being the original proposition.
In the Mercurio today: CFK recommends expanding Mercosur to face the economic crisis. No thanks madame.
Jul 01st, 2012 - 06:35 pm - Link - Report abuse 0http://www.emol.com/noticias/internacional/2012/07/01/548496/kirchner-convoca-a-ampliar-el-mercosur-para-afrontar-crisis-internacional.html
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Jul 01st, 2012 - 07:12 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“Each according to his needs”... Add “Each according to his ability” to the equation and you are quoting Karl Marx...
Great speech by Cristina, excellent points exceptionally well put. Good to see her still standing up for democracy in Paraguay and taking the chance given by Paraguay's own oligarchy in overplaying their hand to further link up with the hero Chavez. Also a beautiful picture, love her pout =)
Jul 02nd, 2012 - 10:09 am - Link - Report abuse 0Great speech by Pepe.
Jul 02nd, 2012 - 11:46 am - Link - Report abuse 0Until he hit the nail on the head without realising it. Governments do not and never will, control the market. Mr. Market (that is you, me and everybody on the planet) decides what will happen to the market. WE decide how much of our hard earned money we will spend and what WE will spend it ON.
If Pepe thinks that everyone wnts to drive round in a broken down VW bug, which like a lot of vehicles in South America are in a potentially dangerous condition to pedestrians, then he very much needs to think again.
I am not supporting consumption for consumption's sake, but try telling the Indians and the country Chin they can't have their televisions and pehaps a little moto to get food, and transport their families, and see what their reaction is.
Pepe is an old man and it shows, it also explains why he will not tackle The Mad Bitch of Argentina over the one-sided 'trade agreements' that is destroying Uruguays nascent auto / camion industry and the dredging of the Plate.
Perhaps it is time for him to go. Virtually ALL of the present developments, the pulp mill, the new airport, were originated by those presently in opposition. Perhaps it is time for them to come back into power.
Great speech by Pepe. His age only shows in the wisdom of it, this is why most cultures respect and learn from their elders. Its just a shame Cristina had to go back home to deal with the phoney Moyano rather than stay and back him up
Jul 02nd, 2012 - 04:19 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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