Unapologetic Venezuela urges Brazil, Paraguay to approve entry into Mercosur
International Herald Tribune
Unapologetic Venezuela urges Brazil, Paraguay to approve entry into Mercosur
The Associated Press
28 June 2007
ASUNCION, Paraguay: Brazil wants a "goodwill gesture" from Venezuela before its Congress votes it into the Mercosur trade bloc, but President Hugo Chavez’s government indicated Thursday it won’t be extending an olive branch any time soon.
Chavez last month called Brazilian lawmakers a "pirate’s parrot," suggesting they were voicing U.S. policies by criticizing Venezuela’s decision last month not to renew the broadcast license of an opposition-aligned TV station.
In an interview published Thursday, Brazil’s foreign minister said Venezuela may need to make amends to Brazil’s Congress if it wants to join the South American trade bloc.
"A goodwill gesture is needed," Celso Amorim told the O Globo newspaper. "No one expects an act of self flagellation from Venezuela, but a positive gesture toward Congress is necessary."
Venezuela’s Deputy Foreign Minister Rodolfo Saez alluded to the flap as foreign ministers met Thursday on the eve of a twice-yearly Mercosur presidential summit, saying Venezuela would not brook any meddling in its domestic affairs.
"If the Senate of Brazil expects our leader to retract his statements as a response to the hostile expressions emanating from that Senate, that won’t happen," Saez said.
Both Brazil’s and Paraguay’s lawmakers have yet to formalize Venezuela’s entry into the trade bloc. The legislatures of Argentina, Uruguay and Venezuela already have given their approval.
"We expect the legislatures of Brazil and Paraguay to ratify their support for Venezuela because the process of integration has nothing to do ... with attacks (against) the national sovereignty of my country," Saez said.
Several Brazilian lawmakers favor blocking Venezuela’s entry into the trade group, arguing the country does not comply with a clause calling for Mercosur nations to commit themselves to democracy.
Chavez is visiting Russia and will not attend the Mercosur summit, where his proposal for a regional development bank will be debated.
In recent weeks he has said "oligarchies" in several Mercosur member countries are opposed to Venezuela’s entry in the bloc.
Also Thursday, Brazil’s lower house postponed approving two agreements recently signed with Venezuela, saying Chavez’s government had shown a "lack of respect" toward the Brazilian Congress."
According to the Chamber of Deputies’ Web site, one of the accords prevents double taxation on profits of companies operating in both countries. The other calls for cooperation in communications.
