MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine ex foreign minister Taiana speaker of Mercosur parliament during 2016

This year Argentina holds the temporary presidency of the Mercosur parliament, Taiana thus succeeds Saul Ortega, from Venezuela, who was speaker in 2015.

Argentina's former foreign affairs minister under ex president Cristina Fernandez, Jorge Taiana has been nominated speaker of the Mercosur Parliament in Montevideo, as of this month and year.

 Taiana in the last session of the Mercosur parliament, 14 December, was overwhelmingly elected by his peers from country members (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela) as vice-president of the House. Since beginning this year Argentina takes over the temporary presidency of the Mercosur parliament, Taiana will then succeed Saul Ortega, from Venezuela, who was speaker of the House during 2015.

Taiana underlined the significance of his new role and challenges that he must address from the position.

“Mercosur integration had a great thrust in its first decade of existence, but now, because of the world and regional economic situation, there has been a stagnation. That is why my objective will be to bolster a greater activity of the block, increasing the number of recommendations to Mercosur and achieving a greater proximity and understanding among its country members”, Taiana was quoted on his nomination as Parlasur president.

Likewise “I feel honored with the nomination, which also forces on me a greater commitment and obligation to work for integration, for greater understanding and for the strengthening of Mercosur”.

Taiana is the son of former Argentine president Juan Domingo Peron personal physician and Education minister Jorge Alberto Taiana. He has been involved in politics since he was a student. Taiana has a degree in Social sciences, was ambassador in Guatemala and in 2003 was named Deputy foreign minister. He took over from Bielsa in 2005 until 2010 when he resigned 'for personal reasons'. In 2013 Taiana was elected member of the Lower House in representation of Cristina Fernandez' Victory Front in the City of Buenos Aires. In October 2015 he headed the list of incumbent (CFK) candidates for the Mercosur parliament.