
Paraguay plans to publicly denounce before the United Nations General Assembly that Venezuela’s incorporation to Mercosur is illegal and so is the temporary suspension imposed on the country by the trade block, anticipated President Federico Franco.

US Trade Representative Ron Kirk urged the Brazilian government in a letter sent on Wednesday to reconsider plans for protectionist tariff increases expected to hurt US exports.

The mission from Unasur (Union of South American Nations) that will be acting as ‘accompanying observer’ in the coming presidential elections in Venezuela, 7 October, and the only organization allowed to fulfil that task, said that the Venezuelan electoral process is one of the “most trustworthy and reliable”.

Argentina launched an aggressive campaign to boost domestic tourism this coming summer season by publishing hotel, food and rent prices of resorts along the Atlantic coast and comparing them with similar options in Mercosur partners such a Uruguay, Brazil and Chile.

The approval of Uruguayan president Jose Mujica dropped to 36% which is the lowest since he took office in March 2010, and the lowest of the ruling coalition Broad Front, according to the latest public opinion release.

Brazilian finance minister Guido Mantega said that resolving Europe’s economic problems are likely to drag out over coming years due to a complex and slow process of decision-making in the region and recommended emerging economies to promote domestic consumption and trade among them.

Spain has not invited Paraguay to the Ibero-American summit in Cadiz scheduled for next November confirmed Paraguayan Foreign minister Jose Felix Fernandez Estigarribia, who also admitted that the number of countries ‘disgusted’ with the new administration of President Federico Franco has diminished considerably.

President Federico Franco and the head of the Spanish government Mariano Rajoy will address the participation of Paraguay in the coming Ibero-American summit scheduled for November in Cadiz, taking advantage of their presence in New York next week for the UN General Assembly.

Uruguayan Industry, Energy and Mining minister Roberto Kreimerman called on the European Union and Mercosur members to double efforts and advance in negotiations to achieve a wide ranging association agreement which has been discussed for almost two decades.

A top Spanish official made a low profile and unexpected visit to Paraguay last week with the purpose of trying to convince the administration of president Federico Franco to remain absent from the coming Ibero-American summit scheduled for November since Madrid fears his presence could turn the event into a failure.