Brazil/Uruguay overrule Argentina: no Mercosur economic sanctions on Paraguay

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: MercoPress

Mercosur will not impose economic sanctions on Paraguay despite concerns over the ousting of the country's president, officials said on Thursday evening at the summit taking place in Mendoza, Argentina.

Mercosur will suspend Paraguay from the trading bloc after the ousting of Paraguayan president Fernando Lugo, Brazilian foreign minister Antonio Patriota explained.

“All of the foreign ministers are considering a decision that will be analyzed on Friday by all presidents. We discussed the possible suspension of Paraguay from Mercosur. We deeply regret this situation but we acknowledge that there is no democratic order there right now,” he said during a press conference.

Paraguay's Senate removed Fernando Lugo from office last Friday in an impeachment trial that lasted a matter of hours, prompting criticism in the region and beyond. However the removal complied with the Paraguayan constitutional procedure and was voted 76 to 1 in the Lower House and 39 to 4 in the Senate.

Read more: http://en.mercopress.com/2012/06/29/brazil-uruguay-overrule-argentina-no-mercosur-economic-sanctions-on-paraguay

[Sania Imran]

1. I like it

It is a beautiful post

[Bacchus4.0]

2. Venezuelan foreign minister asked Paraguayan military to intervene and prevent

impeachment of Lugo under an auto-coup.

http://www.brazildispatch.com/2012/06/venezuela-attempted-foment-paraguayan-revolt.html

BRASILIA – A Brazilian congressional committee heard testimony accusing Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez of inciting military revolt in Paraguay, reported estadao.com.br. The Paraguayans appeared before the committee this week seeking to gain Brazilian support for the new Paraguayan president, Frederico Franco.

Paraguayan Senators Miguel Saguier and Miguel Carrizosa and Rep. David Ocampo told the committee that last Thursday, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolás Maduro visited the Army barracks in Asunción and proposed to the military that they surround Congress to prevent the impeachment trail of former president Fernando Lugo, a Chavez ally.

“The military told us that Maduro preached sedition,” Carrizosa told the committee.

“Unlike what happened in Brazil during Fernando Collor’s impeachment (1992), in Paraguay the president is not stripped of authority when the impeachment action begins. Lugo continued as armed forces chief after authorization of impeachment went to the Senate. He could have hit Congress to prevent the senators decision,” continued Carrizosa.

[Igel]

4. The link to the article is here.

If you can handle the Portuguese.
http://www.estadao.com.br/noticias/impresso,no-brasil-paraguaios-dizem-que-chavez-tentou-incitar-quarteis--,892082,0.htm

Os senadores Miguel Saguier (Partido Liberal Radical) e Miguel Carrizosa (Movimento Pátria Querida) e o deputado Davi Ocampo (União Nacional de Cidadãos Éticos) afirmaram que, na quinta-feira, o chanceler da Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, visitou os quartéis paraguaios e propôs aos militares que cercassem o Congresso para evitar o processo. "As Forças Armadas nos disseram que Maduro pregou a sublevação", disse Carrizosa. O impeachment foi votado na sexta-feira à tarde.

"Ao contrário do que ocorreu no Brasil no impeachment de Fernando Collor (1992), no Paraguai o presidente não é afastado das funções quando a ação tem início. Lugo continuou chefe das Forças Armadas depois da autorização (da Câmara) para que o Senado o processasse. Ele poderia ter atropelado o Congresso para impedir a decisão dos senadores", continuou Carrizosa.

(I like original sources).

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On another topic, it seems that Hugo Chavez benefits greatly from Paraguay's suspension. Venezuela will be a "Southern Cone" country and added to Mercosur : The Paraguayan Senate had been not ratifying Venezuela's accession to Mercosur. All active members had to agree to admit Venezuela.

Paraguay's suspended. Not an active member. So Kirchner et al. announced soon after Paraguay's suspension that Veneuzela would be added in July.

http://economia.estadao.com.br/noticias/economia+geral,venezuela-teria-brecha-para-entrar-no-mercosul,117802,0.htm

[maddezmom]

3. Paraguay suspended from Mercosur, no sanctions

Paraguay suspended from Mercosur, no sanctions

By LUIS ANDRES HENAO, Associated Press – 34 minutes ago

MENDOZA, Argentina (AP) — The Mercosur trade bloc suspended Paraguay's membership on Friday for having impeached and ousted its president but will not slap economic sanctions on the poor, landlocked country.

The South American bloc also announced that Venezuela will become its fifth full member starting July 31.

Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo was impeached by the country's Congress a week ago in a fast-track trial triggered by a land eviction that killed 17 people in clashes between police and landless peasants.

Argentine President Cristina Fernandez told other heads of state at a Mercosur summit Friday that the "democratic order was broken" in Paraguay because it carried out a two-hour trial where Lugo was not allowed a proper defense. It will remain suspended from Mercosur until it holds presidential elections next year.

More: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j0FEA06BbzZPUwDb2jULDCvVykvg?docId=c83408a0407d47849ce79e5f4ed60a72