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Stabroek News

Venezuela blocked from Mercosur - Entry unlikely, says Brazil senator
published: Thursday | July 5, 2007


Oil workers hang a Venezuelan flag at the Jose Complex during celebrations in Barcelona, Venezuela, on May 1, as the state-run oil company PDVSA takes control of oil fields in the Orinoco Belt under plans to nationalise the oil industry. Mercusor members like Brazil are concerned that such actions could hurt trading relations of Mercusor members if Venezuela were to gain membership. - Reuters

Brazil's Congress is unlikely to approve Venezuela's entry into the South American trade bloc Mercosur within a deadline set by Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, the head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said Wednesday.

"I don't see much possibility of approving the Venezuelan request within three months," Heraclito Fortes, head of the Senate committee, told Reuters.

"Venezuela hasn't met the criteria for entry and Chávez is trying to put the blame on somebody else," Fortes added.

Chávez told Mercosur nations on Tuesday they must approve Venezuela's membership in the trade bloc within three months or he would withdraw the request to join it.

Venezuela last year quit the Andean trade bloc to join political allies Brazil and Argentina in Mercosur.

Repeated warnings

But industry leaders in Brazil have repeatedly warned that Chávez wants to use the group as a regional platform for his political agenda and would undermine their trade interests.

They are also concerned that Chávez's nationalisation of key industries and growing controls over media could prevent the European Union from relaunching trade talks with Mercosur.

Brazil's Government recently urged Chávez to make a "gesture of goodwill" following a spat between the leftist leader and Brazil's Senate, which criticised Chávez for the recent closure of an opposition television station.

"He has to comply not only with trade norms but also with democratic norms," said Fortes, who is a member of the opposition Democratas party.

Reuters

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