Mercosur

Wednesday, July 17th 2013 - 07:50 UTC
Brazil downplays the Pacific Alliance significance, as an “integration project”

Brazilian Foreign minister Antonio Patriota downplayed the significance of the Alliance of the Pacific, the free trade agreement which includes Chile, Peru, Colombia and Mexico, arguing it is not a “real deep integration” as the one proposed by Mercosur.
Wednesday, July 17th 2013 - 07:16 UTC
Brazilian lawmaker blasts ‘unnecessary hostility and arrogance’ towards Paraguay

An influential member of Congress from south Brazil strongly criticized his country’s foreign policy towards Paraguay and Mercosur condemning the ‘unnecessary hostility’ and for abandoning legitimate interests and basic principles for an ‘ideological affinity solidarity’.
Tuesday, July 16th 2013 - 17:15 UTC
Uruguay presses for EU/Mercosur talks fearing loss of tariff benefits

Uruguay needs a quick resumption of Mercosur/European Union trade and cooperation talks because at the end of the year expire a number of tariff benefits for Uruguayan exports, revealed Foreign minister Luis Almagro.
Tuesday, July 16th 2013 - 17:10 UTC
Argentina has dealt a ‘mortal blow’ to Mercosur that has become ‘a political forum’

Speaking for a Brazilian business association in Sao Paulo, Rubén Barbosa accused the government of Argentina of dealing a ‘mortal blow’ to Mercosur, the regional grouping that was originally focused on economic integration and has since become a political forum for the region’s leaders as was again evident during the last summit in Montevideo.
Tuesday, July 16th 2013 - 05:48 UTC
Brazil expects president-elect Cartes accepts the return of Paraguay to Mercosur

Brazil Foreign minister Antonio Patriota said he expects that Paraguay president-elect Horacio Cartes will accept the return to Mercosur following his taking office ceremony scheduled for next August 15.
Tuesday, July 16th 2013 - 05:45 UTC
Paraguay will hold Mercosur presidency in the first half of 2014, says Uruguay

Paraguay will hold the rotating chair of Mercosur after Venezuela, at the end of this year, which will mark the full active comeback of the country to the regional block, announced Uruguay’s Foreign minister Luis Almagro on Monday in Montevideo.
Monday, July 15th 2013 - 22:42 UTC
Brazilian official regrets Paraguay did not follow the path of Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia

Brazilian international affairs advisor Marco Aurelio Garcia admits the incorporation of Venezuela to Mercosur was done without Paraguay’s approval and argues the downfall of Fernando Lugo was because of his political incapacity to follow on the steps of other countries with strong popular support such as Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador
Monday, July 15th 2013 - 21:15 UTC
Former Brazilian official blasts his country policy towards Paraguay as ‘arbitrary, illegal and incompetent”

Brazil’s former Foreign minister Celso Lafer said that Paraguay was ‘arbitrarily’ excluded from Mercosur with a sanction that is not in conformity with the group’s charter and warned Brazil is losing international credibility in supporting Paraguay’s suspension because it is distancing itself from International law.
Saturday, July 13th 2013 - 13:44 UTC
Paraguay president elect demands Mercosur complies with International law

Paraguay president-elect Horacio Cartes made public a strongly supported legal statement rejecting the decision to give the pro-tempore presidency of Mercosur to Venezuela which was approved and confirmed on Friday at the group’s presidential summit in Montevideo, Uruguay.
Saturday, July 13th 2013 - 13:34 UTC
Mercosur blasts EU countries over Morales incident and condemn US electronic surveillance

Mercosur leaders agreed on Friday to call home for consultation their ambassadors to Spain, France, Italy and Portugal to protest last week's forced diversion of the Bolivian president's aircraft. They also strongly defended their right to offer asylum Friday, venting anger at claims of US spying in the region while intelligence leaker Edward Snowden's fate hangs in the balance.