Paraguay and Uruguay to Use Summit to Vent Their Frustration at Brazil

Mercosur summit At least ten chiefs of state are scheduled to participate in the Mercosur summit now confirmed for next July 23-24, an event to be hosted by Paraguay. During the summit Paraguay will hand the Mercosur rotating chair to Uruguay for the next six months.

"Presidents from Mercosur full members, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and associate members, Chile and Bolivia have confirmed their participation," said on Friday Paraguyan Foreign Affairs minister Hector Lacognata.

Venezuela's president Hugo Chavez has also been announced in Asunción. Chavez requested incorporation as a full member in 2006, and was quickly approved by the congresses of Argentina and Uruguay. However the Venezuelan request is still pending approval from the Brazilian and Paraguayan legislative branches.

Paraguay and Uruguay are expected to make strong presentations during the summit given the growing difficulties to access the Argentine and Brazilian markets.

In anticipation of the summit the Paraguayan government held a round of meetings where the different sectors of the economy discussed Mercosur, achievements and shortcomings. Mercosur was formally launched in March 1991, precisely in Asuncion.

"Since the creation of Mercosur, Paraguay has seen 1.500 industries go down or disappear", said businessman Esteban Morabito, from the Paraguayan Announcers' Chamber, CAP.

"We would like to create more jobs, more employment opportunities but we don't have the markets. It's easier to export to United States or Europe than to Foz de Iguaçu (Brazil) or Corrientes (Argentina)", said Morabito bitterly complaining about the different hurdles imposed by senior Mercosur members on junior members Paraguay and Uruguay.

"Not only did we lose 1.500 manufacturing related businesses, another 5.000 were never able to see the light of the day. That is why we have so many Paraguayans working overseas, Spain, United States, Argentina…" he added.

Morabito admitted that these claims have been reiterated to the different Paraguayan administrations but with not much consequence.

"We would like our government to formally protest to Mercosur about all the non tariff hurdles which impede regional trade", underlined Morabito.

Mercopress

Tags:

You May Also Like

Brazilian Tourists Become Big Business and the US Can’t Get Enough of Them

The business of America is business, goes the saying, and as Brazilians are interested ...

Brazil and Spain Join Forces to Explore Brazilian Oil

Brazil is partnering with Spain to explore its oil. The consortium formed by Brazil's ...

Industrial Production in Brazil Falls to Lowest Level in Four Years

Brazil’s industrial production dropped last June, remaining at 39.6 points from a previous 48.4 ...

Brazil’s Trade Balance Surplus Reaches US$ 35 Billion, a 11% Fall

According to data supplied by the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, ...

Brazil Afraid World Slump Will Lower Price of Commodities It Sells

Markets were mixed to lower, with Brazilian shares rising on tame local inflation data, ...

Brazil's beverage company Ambev one of the most profitable

Brazil Discovers the World of Open Capital and Is Making Money

The number of Brazilian companies that opened their capital between 2004 and March this ...

Brazil Hopeful Unemployment Rate Will Drop Below 10%

Brazil’s government is acting on the premise that it is possible to generate jobs ...

RAPIDINHAS

It’s a pity we can’t talk by phone on Sundays any more. It’s a ...

Dirty Pics

Are the pornographic pictures just a crass photo montage? The police of Ribeirão Preto ...

Brazil Launches Ten-Year Plan to Boost Foreign Tourism Income by 300%

In ten years Brazil wants to increase the inflow of funds coming from foreign ...