Mercosur chair not interested in restoring normal relations with US

Monday, July 22nd 2013 - 06:29 UTC

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Kerry and Jaua had started talks in Guatemala last month

Venezuela says it's ending talks with the United States to restore normal relations because Washington's UN ambassador-designate criticized its human rights record. Venezuela currently holds the chair of Mercosur.

The Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Samantha Power's remarks compelled it to halt the process begun in Guatemala last month by its foreign minister, Elias Jaua, and US Secretary of State John Kerry.

Power said in Senate confirmation hearings last week that Venezuela is guilty of a “crackdown on civil society” along with Cuba, Iran and Russia.

Jaua and Kerry had said they would fast-track talks to resume ambassadorial-level ties absent since 2010. But those prospects dimmed after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro later offered asylum to US leaker Edward Snowden.

Kerry subsequently called Jaua and threatened unspecified action if Snowden wound up in Venezuelan hands.

Categories: Politics, Mercosur, United States, Venezuela.

Tags: Edward Snowden, Elias Jaua, John Kerry, Mercosur, United States, Venezuela.

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Anglotino
So what!

Can someone please tell me how this impacts anyone.

Venezuela, touchy as are most autocratic nations, gets upset because someone said something. Talk about a massive inferiority complex. After 200 years of independence the US is the world's most powerful nation. After 200 years of independence Venezuela is one of the world's most violent economic basket cases.
Jul 22nd, 2013 - 07:00 am 0
GeoffWard2
I'm happy that Venezuela do not 'normalise' with the USA - only VE loses from this;
but if VE extends this to Mercosur via their period of chairmanship, that would be unacceptible.
It would, however, clarify whether the primary rationale of Mercosur remains trade, or (as I believe) it has mutated into yet another primarily political organisation.

The absence of a close-focussed world trading bloc will relegate the majority of the Continent, once more, to 'the favela backwardness'.
Jul 22nd, 2013 - 10:00 am 0
ChrisR
2 GeoffWard2

I was going to post the same, so I will just say I agree completely.

These 'leaders' of SA really are just little children and completely bereft of any mature thought.
Jul 22nd, 2013 - 12:57 pm 0

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