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Mercosur summit to discuss controversy over Venezuela's presidency

Xinhua, August 4, 2016 Adjust font size:

Representatives from Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, which oppose Venezuela from taking over the presidency of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), will meet on Thursday in Montevideo to negotiate an end to the controversy.

Although Venezuela was supposed to start its stint as president on Aug. 1, the three countries believe its current crisis means Venezuela is not positioned to assume presidency.

"We will go and define how to face the six months ahead," said Paraguay's Foreign Minister Eladio Loizaga at a press conference on Wednesday.

To become president of the bloc, Loizaga said, Venezuela must meet all requirements, including complying with the Latin American Integration Association, which encourages economic integration across borders, and the Treaty of Asuncion in terms of human rights.

"We could revise Venezuela's membership protocol to correct the situation ... and calmly follow the alphabetical order for Argentina to take the presidency," he added.

The foreign ministers of Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil will be joined by their Uruguayan counterpart at the Mercosur headquarters in Montevideo.

On July 30, a day after Uruguay stated it had ended its time in the presidency, Venezuela issued a statement saying it had formally assumed the role.

Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil rejected the declaration from Venezuela, but Uruguay said it was in favor of maintaining the current order.

On Wednesday, Uruguayan Foreign Minister Rodolfo Nin Novoa said that his country will abide by Mercosur's norms after being accused by Brazil of creating "uncertainty" over its announcement of ending presidency.

"Uruguay strictly followed the norms to transfer the rotating presidency of Mercosur, which belongs to Venezuela," said Nin Novoa in a statement. Endit