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Mujica in veiled message tells Paraguay to return to Mercosur and remember it’s a landlocked country

Tuesday, July 30th 2013 - 03:54 UTC
Full article 25 comments

Uruguayan president Jose Mujica was ironic about the conditions Paraguayan president elect Horacio Cartes demanded for his country’s return to Mercosur, but also in a veiled message called for ‘intelligence and pragmatism’ recalling that Paraguay is a landlocked country. Read full article

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  • Anglotino

    Go Paraguay.

    They trot out one by one almost pleading their case. Seems Paraguay has Mercosur on edge. A small country standing up to bigger countries in the 21st century.

    You have to wonder how spineless a leader like have to be coming from a small country squeezed in between two larger and domineering neighbours and lecture another small country on kowtowing to bigger surrounding countries.

    Then to remind a landlocked country that should enjoy free passage access to the sea through UCLOS that its rights are bound up with Mercosur is pretty much what Paraguay is complaining about - FOLLOW AGREEMENTS AND TREATIES YOU SIGN UP TO.

    Spineless Mujica. A spineless coward with no morals. Lucky you are between Brazil and Argentina because you are in the right neighbourhood.

    Jul 30th, 2013 - 05:51 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • ManRod

    till now, I had seen Mujica as the lesser evils in the Mercosur, he was rather the “pragmatic” coward, doing all CFK ordered him to do just to avoid clashes and trouble... well, actually with his last sentences, this changes. It's nothing less than a threat, a menace towards Paraguay to even go as far to violate international law and block them. Disgusting!

    Jul 30th, 2013 - 07:46 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • ChrisR

    I was apprehensive when we first came to check Uruguay out because it looked like Mujica would be the next President.

    But I kept an open mind and was very pleased with how he went about ‘ruling’ the country as these ‘presidents’ all like to think of themselves (another LatAm thing I suspect) but then came the reality, the corruption with Pluna, the arse licking of TMBOA (aided by his dead –headed wife, herself an elected representative) and other ridiculous statements, soon retracted.

    I really do think he is in the onset of dementia, but in any event seemingly does not know International Law on navigable rivers. Unless he really wants to emulate The Dark Country and start ignoring such laws.

    That of course would bring Uruguay into disrepute and I don’t think Vasquez (the next President) would stand for that.

    Jul 30th, 2013 - 08:04 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Troy Tempest

    Uruguay:

    Kowtows to CFK, though it is clear they hate her and Argentina bullying.
    Insults CFK and then apologises meekly.

    Suspend Paraguay from Mercosur in an attempt to influence their internal politics.
    Use the suspension as an opportunity to bring in Venezuela against Paraguays wishes.

    Threaten Paraguay with an illegal blockade.

    Yes, it is apparent that Uruguay is an active and full member of the Evil Axis of Mercosur.

    Jul 30th, 2013 - 08:49 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • CJvR

    This is hardly new, the geographic position of Paraguay is as hopeless as it have been since the War of the Triple Alliance.

    Jul 30th, 2013 - 09:39 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • yankeeboy

    Paraguay can always turn off the electricity from the Dam. That is much more detrimental than anything a MercoSur country could do to Paraguay.

    Jul 30th, 2013 - 09:40 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Stevie

    Mujica spineless?
    A whole life fighting the empire, getting shot at plenty of times, 2 years in a hole in the ground...
    Anlolatino, you little keyboard warrior, if Mujica has no spine, what are you, a snake?

    Mujica is speaking the truth, Venezuela is crucial for Mercosur, and Paraguay WILL return to the organisation, regardless how much they scream. Wanna bet?

    Jul 30th, 2013 - 09:54 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Conqueror

    @7 Yep, Mujica is pretty spineless. “A whole life fighting the empire”. From the 60s to the 80s. But then he was born in '35. So, nothing much for 30 years. There is a record that he was shot 6 times by the police in 1972, when he was re-apprehended after escaping from Punta Carretas Prison in 1971. Not exactly something of which to be “proud”. And freed in '85. Somehow that doesn't seem like a “lifetime”. But doesn't he run to CFK whenever she says? Something wrong with telling CFK and Rousseff that he wouldn't go along with suspending Paraguay? A TOTALLY illegitimate act! And it was done in “private” meeting behind closed doors. And now he's the “mouthpiece” of Mordor. Take a look. Carrots and threats. “Let’s not forget that the only way out for Paraguay is through the Parana River and the River Plate”, he insisted. Wonder if he's noticed that Paraguay can go west instead of east. So there's Paraguay on one side, Chile on the other and little Bolivia in the middle. As Anglotino points out, there is a requirement under UNCLOS for Bolivia to facilitate Paraguay's access to the sea. Perhaps Peru and Colombia will be quite supportive. Just like you to be imperialist and divisive. If Paraguay wants to go to the Pacific Alliance instead, who are you, or Mujica, to try to stop it? Never can tell but Cartes has been sticking to his guns so far. Hope he goes all the way and stuffs mercosur.

    Jul 30th, 2013 - 11:22 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Stevie

    conq
    In your ignorance you fail to see reality.
    Paraguay are free to join PA if they wish, nobody is trying to stop them.
    What I can assure you though, is that they wont leave Mercosur.
    And Bolivia will facilitate Paraguays access to the sea, by giving them their blessings.
    No way on earth Bolivia will give Paraguay what is being denied to themselves...

    Jul 30th, 2013 - 11:30 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • ElaineB

    @9 I agree that Paraguay will probably not leave Mercosur. Mercosur will die a death and everyone will be free to forge their own path.

    Jul 30th, 2013 - 11:36 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Conqueror

    @9 As if I would accept an accusation from an ignorant, juvenile troll.

    Jul 30th, 2013 - 04:45 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Stevie

    Accusation?
    I called you ignorant. For you, that's no accusation, but a piropo...

    Jul 30th, 2013 - 04:49 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Anglotino

    Mujica spent his whole life fighting the empire!

    Now instead of being part of the Rebel Alliance he is nothing more than a stormtrooper for Darth Cristina.

    Cartes you keep standing up to your bigger neighbours. Mujica is too busy bending over for them!

    Jul 30th, 2013 - 07:11 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Sergio Vega

    Mujica spent his whole life fighting the empire....???
    Better he spent a whole life killing people as an leftist extrmist murder......trying to impose the malign marxism - leninism by the forcé of the guns.....so nothing to be proud having been in the hole for so long time that would be longer......
    Paraguay will be welcome into the PA because is a country with good expectations referred to growth and development.....totally opposed to the Mercosur goals....
    And Bolivia can´t argue that its not allowd to reach the sea....Chile has accomplished will all the treatie's clauses signed freely by the both countries after the end of the Pacific War.......
    Anuway, Paraguay can take as an example two countries that are small & landlocked like Austria and Switherland, both very successful in all aspect.....

    So Mr. Carter can scream out loud : Mercosur f##ck you, ...dead treaty walking...!!!

    And Mujica....you are a coward trickster, CFK hand sucker....apart of ignorant who will sink Uruguay...

    Jul 30th, 2013 - 09:02 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • ynsere

    As a Uruguayan, I can only apologise to all Paraguayans. Mujica will probably end up claiming he said something else. He's done it tens of times.

    Jul 30th, 2013 - 11:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • GeoffWard2

    Anybody know what happened to PARLASUR, the supra-national political governance of the Mercosur countries?

    Was Paraguay banned from this organisation also?

    Did it actually ever do anything?

    Jul 31st, 2013 - 05:28 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • ManRod

    “No way on earth Bolivia will give Paraguay what is being denied to themselves...”

    Stevie, did you really believe you would pass unnoticed with such a lie?
    Paraguay is asking for pass and trade to the pacific, something Bolivia is fully granted. What exactly do you mean by “what is being denied to themselves...”?

    Jul 31st, 2013 - 08:25 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Troy Tempest

    Stevie

    It seems that you grow more “Think-like” every day.

    That is another lie, just like the 'genocide in Afghanistan' comment, earlier.

    Jul 31st, 2013 - 08:48 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • MatUY

    (1/3) I’ve been living in Uruguay now for the past 30 years and I can assure the readers that this entire issue has been a total embarrassment for everyone.
    First of all, we should point out that the Mercosur has been a total flop from the beginning. The initial concept was rejected by who now governs the country. Then once the (theoretically) common market was established, both Paraguay and Uruguay needed to join up to fight the bullying they both came upon from the two other members (Argentina and Brazil). The two giants have repeatedly closed their borders to Uruguay and or Paraguay for one reason or another; at time leaving truck load of fresh produce rotting at the boarders while the bureaucracy tried to untangle the issue. But Uruguay experienced first hand the useless treaties within the Mercosur when, for four years Argentina kept the three international bridges that connect both Uruguay and Argentina by land closed; During those four years, Uruguay formally requested the mediation of Brazil so that Argentina would reopen the bridges thus allowing the commercial trade to flow once again… BUT, all that Uruguay got from the Lula administration (Brazil president) was the response that it’s a bilateral issue and they were not getting involved.

    So as far as the Mercosur goes, Uruguay knows first hand that it’s a total failure.

    Now in reference to Paraguay’s illegal suspension from the Mercosur by the other three members, it’s illegal and period.

    IF any given country takes any kind of political action contemplative by their own constitution, and backed by 98% of their legislator (including those legislators representing the impeached presidents political party), is nothing more or nothing less that a legitimate action.
    Now if the president being impeached is part of the political CLUB being orchestrated by the influence of Venezuela and Cuba, of course there will be people crying out that what was happening in Paraguay was a coup.

    Jul 31st, 2013 - 07:51 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Stevie

    30 years you say and still no clue?
    Mercosur was formed by the right-wingers Collor de Melo, Menem, Lacalle and Rodriguez.
    After 2002, the left-wing Presidents, who indeed disagreed with the right-wingers, took Mercosur and transformed it from being a trade organisation to being a very much political organisation of integration.
    The problem with the two giants is that they can close the borders to the world in defiance, but Paraguay and Uruguay are much more vulnerable, hence we need to do some magic at times.
    And the bridges had little to do with Mercosur, the issue there was Botnia, a paper mill being built so close to the border. The Argentines were upset for having the mill as neighbour without getting anything from it. Understandable.

    The impeachment was done in 2 hours. You don't remove an elected President giving him two hours to prepare his defence.
    And if you do, and you are a member of Mercosur, you will be suspended from the block.
    That rule is easy to grasp...

    Aug 01st, 2013 - 04:35 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • ChrisR

    20 Stevie

    Now I realise that you are not Uruguayo.

    When I listen to my friends about what has happened in the past with The Dark Country the FIRST thing they mention is the closing of the bridges because it brought so much hardship to Uruguay.

    And why do you think any other country should have had a slice of the mill? Does TMBOA share anything with Uruguay, yet you say it is understandable FFS. These cunts can’t even honour the dredging ‘agreement’ or is that understandable as well?

    At least you have admitted it was the commies that fucked Mercosur up.

    Just what is it with you, you do not live in Uruguay, you think everybody’s hard earned money should be taxed and given to the ‘poor’ as if that would help them long time: well I have news for you it wouldn’t.

    What the poor needed to do is work hard when they were at school THEN get a job, then they stand a chance for the rest of their lives. But that would mean they have to WORK.

    Paraguays action was within their law and the shagger KNEW it. It has nothing to do with any other country but it scared the other two commies and the fascist shitless that they might be next in line for the chop.

    Mercosur is dead as a political animal and the inclusion of Venezuela WAS outside of the rules AS WRITTEN (and not what you would like to think they are) and so should never have happened.

    So, of you go threatening me or saying if I don’t like it I should go ‘back’. Well, I have some MORE news for you: YOU are clearly in the minority as far as I am informed, but then you already know that NOT living in the country yourself.

    Aug 01st, 2013 - 09:18 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • agent999

    Mujica: “The Argentines are capable of evading the Pope to take their dollars”

    http://www.clarin.com/politica/Mujica-argentinos-dolar_0_966503606.html

    Aug 01st, 2013 - 11:38 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Stevie

    Hahahaha Chris

    Lets see....

    Can you vote in Uruguay?

    No?

    I can.

    ;)

    See?

    Aug 01st, 2013 - 06:36 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • ChrisR

    23 Stevie

    I suppose you have inherited that from you reconstituted family, but it doesn't alter the fact that YOU don't live here, I do, AND, you DON'T pay taxes, I do.

    BUT, one day I will be able to vote, once the IMM get their lazy arses in gear.

    Aug 02nd, 2013 - 09:46 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • GeoffWard2

    Paraguay is landlocked but so are 48 countries around the world.

    There is opportunity to create a bloc of the landlocked nations, acting in concert to press the case for any of their members that find themselves threatened by a 'blackmailing' neighbour.
    ... Preferential trade deals between 48 countries ???

    'Threat' turned to 'Opportunity'.
    Simples!

    Aug 03rd, 2013 - 02:51 pm - Link - Report abuse 0

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