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Paraguay says Venezuela unsuitable to take rotating presidency of Mercosur

Xinhua, June 29, 2016 Adjust font size:

Paraguay continues to reject the fact that Venezuela is set to take up the rotating presidency of the Mercosur bloc in July, said its Foreign Minister, Eladio Loizaga, on Tuesday.

In an interview with radio station 970 AM in the capital Asuncion, Loizaga said that "being president of Mercosur is no small thing."

"A country that presides Mercosur must have very strong internal peace. Without consensus, this process cannot happen," he added.

Mercosur, the Southern Common Market, brings together Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela in a regional free trade bloc.

On Monday, Uruguayan Foreign Minister Rodolfo Nin Novoa confirmed that his country will hand over the presidency to Venezuela in July at a summit of foreign ministers.

Traditionally, the presidency is passed on by the heads of state. Such a summit, planned for July 12 in Uruguay's capital of Montevideo, was cancelled due to the political situation in Venezuela.

Despite Paraguay's protests, Uruguay has maintained that President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela will assume the role as planned. Endit