[NYTr] Venezuela’s Mercosur entry stalled in Brazilian Congress
 
Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2008 22:40:39 -0600 (CST)

Via NY Transfer News Collective  *  All the News that Doesn't Fit
 
Mercopress - Jan 7, 2008
http://www.mercopress.com/vernoticia.do?id=12335&formato=HTML

Venezuelabs Mercosur entry stalled in Brazilian Congress

The recent end of the year episode of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez
with the Colombian cocaine-funded guerrilla FARC and the failed
handover of hostages could further imperil the Brazilian Congress
approval of Venezuelabs incorporation to Mercosur. Zoom Brazilian
Deputy Raul Jungman, member of the Lower House Foreign Affairs
committee said that Chavez actions have contributed to deteriorate the
image of Venezuela in both chambers of the Brazilian Congress.

bHis attitude reinforces the feeling that Chavez is an autocratic and
histrionic presidentb, said Congress member Jungman, who defined the
whole incident, which had an unexpected fiasco end, as bself promotionb.

The Foreign Affairs and Constitution and Justice committees of the
Brazilian Lower House a few months ago approved a project for the
incorporation of Venezuela to Mercosur, which triggered much
controversy and debate, since some members questioned the bdemocratic
commitmentb of President Chavez, an essential requisite for any country
wishing to become a member of South Americabs largest trade group, and
enshrined in the Brazilian constitution.

Furthermore Chavez had accused the Brazilian Senate of acting as a
bparrot of Washingtonbs ordersb and being ba representative for the
Brazilian bourgeoisb which caused much irritation.

Even President Lula da Silva had to intervene in the incident in
defense of the Senate and asking Chavez what he meant by such
statements.

This anticipates that the Brazilian approval of Venezuelabs entry to
Mercosur is going to be long and controversial. It still has to be
approved by both houses and the Senate, and in the Senate the Lula da
Silva administration does not have a majority having recently lost
crucial votes on taxing. Anyhow the issue wonbt be addressed until
March, since after Carnival the Brazilian Congress is closed down.

The opposition also criticized that President Lula da Silva should have
sent his main advisor Marco Aurelio Garcia as a member of the
delegation of international representatives to the failed handover of
hostages.

                                 *
=================================================================
 NY Transfer News Collective     *    A Service of Blythe Systems
           Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us
            Our main website:   http://www.blythe.org
   List Archives:       http://blythe-systems.com/pipermail/nytr/
   Subscribe:     http://blythe-systems.com/mailman/listinfo/nytr
=================================================================