MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Paraguayan Senate accepts Venezuela as full member of Mercosur; praise from Brazil

“This will help strengthen Mercosur” said Eduardo dos Santos from Brazil's foreign ministry and a former ambassador in Asunción

The Paraguayan Senate finally passed on Tuesday afternoon, with a large majority a protocol for including Venezuela as full member of Mercosur. The protocol, which was submitted to Congress by President Horacio Cartes, was supported 29-10.

 All Senators from the ruling Colorado Party plus some from minority parties voted for the initiative during a special Senate session. The House is expected to do so sometime this week, before summer recess.

The House is also expected to annul a resolution that was passed last year against Nicolas Maduro, who was Venezuela's foreign minister at the time when he traveled to Paraguay leading a delegation from Unasur to try to prevent the impeachment of President Fernando Lugo, who was finally removed from office by an overwhelming vote.

Once the legislative process is over, Paraguay will be officially represented at the next Mercosur summit scheduled to take place in Caracas on January17.

Allegedly there was an intense negotiation behind doors for months between Paraguay and leading Mercosur members Argentina and Brazil that need the full presence of the landlocked country to continue trade negotiations with the European Union.

Apparently next January, the Mercosur chair currently in the hands of Venezuela and which should be delivered for the next six months to Argentina (on alphabetical order) will be handed to Paraguay as token of reconciliation.

Eduardo dos Santos, head of Brazil's foreign ministry cabinet who was one of the main negotiators of the deal, met with president Cartes and congratulated Paraguay for the Venezuela vote.

“This will most certainly help to strengthen Mercosur” said dos Santos before returning to Brasilia.

However in Congress Senator Desirée Masi claimed that Cartes caved in to Argentine and Brazilian pressure for nothing that corresponds with the dignity of the republic. ”How do you explain this U turn?

The only thing left is to believe that Cartes 'whitewashed' his cigarette smuggler past with Brazil for support for Venezuela.