Venezuela outraged over suspension from trade bloc

Venezuela on Friday vented anger over the country's suspension from the Southern Common Market (Mercosur).

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez described the suspension as a "coup" against his country.

On Friday, the foreign ministers of the other four Mercosur members -- Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay -- sent a letter to Venezuela, informing it of the suspension over failure to meet the group's norms on trade and human rights.

The letter read that Venezuela showed persistent "noncompliance with the obligations it committed to in its adhesion protocol ... and repeated statements expressing the impossibility of incorporating Mercosur's specific norms."

For that reason, "it has been decided to cease (Venezuela) from exercising its right as a member state."

Rodriguez showed defiance, saying that Venezuela will continue to be a member state of Mercosur.

"Venezuela has not been notified about Mercosur norms and therefore we cannot be assumed to know what should be done. This is nothing more than a coup within Mercosur," he told reporters in Caracas.

Venezuela claimed the rotating presidency of Mercosur on July. 30, 2016 from Uruguay. But Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay refused to recognize Caracas' presidency, saying the country's political and economic woes prevented it from playing an effective role. Endi