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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, October 21st 2025 - 08:41 UTC

Venezuela

  • Tuesday, July 12th 2016 - 06:36 UTC

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

    Host minister Nin Novoa said that the group would take a two-day recess and meet again next Thursday following consultations

    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

    A release from Uruguay's foreign ministry, which was not signed by Nin Novoa, reiterates its decision to transfer the Mercosur chair 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

    Serra told Uruguay president Vázquez, “we're asking for more time. Let's wait 'til August, the Mercosur presidency must be the result of an unanimous decision”

    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

    Loizaga said Paraguay will not accept Venezuela's presidency since “it's not a good message for Mercosur because we were not consulted, nor was Brazil”.

    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

    “There won't be any presidential summit, but yes the Mercosur chair transfer to Venezuela for the next six months will take place”, pointed out the two ministers

    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

    Temer ”does not wish to participate in the solemnity of the event when Venezuela takes over the Mercosur presidency “according to sources in Folha de Sao Paulo.

    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

    US envoy Shannon and Maduro, met after lunch in the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas.

    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

    Venezuela called an extraordinary OAS session to update the body about dialogue between the government and opposition

    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.

  • Wednesday, June 15th 2016 - 07:15 UTC

    Kerry announces at OAS assembly high-level talks to ease tensions with Venezuela

    Kerry said the talks would start immediately in Caracas and be led by Thomas Shannon, a veteran of U.S. diplomacy in the region.

    United States Secretary of State John Kerry announced high-level talks to ease tensions with Venezuela's populist government on Tuesday, just hours after he backed calls for a referendum that could force President Nicolas Maduro from office. Kerry said the talks would start immediately in Caracas and be led by Thomas Shannon, a veteran of U.S. diplomacy in the region. Attempts last year at dialogue between the ideological foes were stalled by Venezuela's deepening crisis.

  • Tuesday, June 14th 2016 - 12:23 UTC

    Maduro appeals to bureaucratic chicaneries to impede the recall referendum

    Maduro's opponents warn Venezuela risks exploding into unrest without a vote on sacking the populist leader, whom they blame for the economic crisis

    Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's allies asked the Supreme Court on Monday to block a bid to call a referendum on sacking him, accusing the opposition of “fraud.” The move casts doubt on the recall vote sought by the opposition, which accuses the high court of pro-Maduro bias and has clashed with it repeatedly since winning control of congress in December.