20 December 2010

PARAGUAY/ VENEZUELA: Senate Says Its Mercosur Approval Has A Price.

MERCOPRESS/

    The Paraguayan Senate wants President Hugo Chavez to invest in infrastructure, communications, and building schools that will create jobs -- in exchange for approving full Mercosur membership.
    “In Brasil, he(Chavez) has invested 40 billion USD. In Argentina he’s helping to build schools and colleges, why doesn’t he invest in Paraguay creating jobs and helping us with the bi-oceanic route, communications and other major works? On the contrary he’s trying to charge us interests on a 400 million USD oil bill”, complained Senator Bóveda.
     An Yea vote only needs a simple majority in the Paraguayan congress: 22 plus one out of 45 members.
     Venezuela's Mercosur request was quickly approved by Argentina and Uruguay. Brasil was slower. Two attempts in Paraguay this year have failed.