Venezuela

• Wednesday, July 13th 2016 - 05:11 UTC

  Mercosur asks Venezuela for 'democratic and human rights gestures' before transferring the group's chair

  

  Mercosur members are requesting from Venezuela concrete gestures in favor of democracy and human rights if they are to consider the transfer of the group's pro tempore chair from Uruguay to Caracas, pointed out Paraguayan foreign minister Eladio Loizaga a day after the group was unable to reach a consensus on the issue that has become particularly controversial when not frustrating.

• Tuesday, July 12th 2016 - 08:03 UTC

  Neighbors Stand Up to Venezuela

  

  By New York Times Editorial Board
  
  This summer, Venezuela was poised to assume the rotating presidency of Mercosur, a trade bloc that includes Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. But at the urging of Paraguay, Mercosur heads of state are considering blocking Venezuela, at least temporarily, citing the erosion of democracy there.

• Tuesday, July 12th 2016 - 06:36 UTC

  Mercosur ever so divided plans a new meeting to decide on Venezuela´s presidency of the group

  

  Mercosur four founding members meeting in Montevideo have been unable to reach a consensus on whether to transfer, for the next six months, the group's pro tempore presidency to Venezuela and decided on a new round of talks next Thursday. Uruguay insists in complying with the charter and calendar, but Paraguay and Brazil question the current government of Venezuela's credentials for the job, and Argentina has an ambiguous position.

• Friday, July 8th 2016 - 04:56 UTC

  Uruguayan government insists in transferring Mercosur presidency to Venezuela

  

  Uruguay ratified on Thursday its willingness to transfer the Mercosur presidency to Venezuela despite objections from the other members, Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. In a brief statement in its official site, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Uruguay, currently holding the Mercosur pro tempore chair “reiterates its position to proceed to transfer the presidency, in abidance with what is established by the current Mercosur rules”.

• Wednesday, July 6th 2016 - 06:54 UTC

  Brazil asks Mercosur chair transfer to Venezuela to be delayed until August

  

  The deep differences among Mercosur members as to who should hold the group's rotating chair this second half of the year surfaced openly in Montevideo with the surprise visit of Brazilian foreign minister Jose Serra and ex president Fernando Henrique Cardoso. The Brazilin delegation formally requested Uruguay, which currently holds the six/month Mercosur chair to suspend the transfer to Venezuela until at least August.

• Thursday, June 30th 2016 - 13:22 UTC

  Paraguay does not accept Venezuela as Mercosur pro tempore chair; group split in half

  

  Mercosur is again split over Venezuela because Paraguay, and apparently Brazil, have not been consulted regarding the decision to hand the pro tempore presidency of the block to Venezuela in July, as was agreed in Montevideo by Uruguay and Argentina.

• Tuesday, June 28th 2016 - 06:28 UTC

  Mercosur presidential summit off, but chair transfer to Venezuela will be done at foreign ministers' level

  

  Mercosur presidential summit next July in Montevideo has been cancelled, but the six-month presidency of the group, currently held by Uruguay will be transferred as scheduled to Venezuela, although some conditions of the event are “pending discussion”, said on Monday foreign ministers Susana Malcorra and host Rodolfo Nin Novoa.

• Monday, June 27th 2016 - 08:01 UTC

  Temer will be absent from Mercosur summit; displeasure with Venezuela

  

  Brazilian interim president Michel Temer will be absent from the next Mercosur summit scheduled to take place in Montevideo, and this decision is considered a strong message to the Venezuelan government of president Nicolas Maduro that will be taking the group's chair for the next six months.

• Thursday, June 23rd 2016 - 06:03 UTC

  Maduro-Shannon discuss restarting relations; OAS debates implementing Democratic Charter on Venezuela

  

  Veteran U.S. diplomat Tom Shannon spoke for nearly two hours with Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday to re-start relations between the ideologically opposed governments amid a punishing economic crisis in the oil rich country.

• Wednesday, June 22nd 2016 - 05:59 UTC

  OAS listens to mediators' appeal for government/opposition dialogue in Venezuela

  

  Addressing the OAS Permanent Council, former Spanish president Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said that reconciliation is an indispensable and essential challenge to overcome the current confrontation situation in Venezuela, and although it will be a long, difficult process, he recommends dialogue efforts should continue.