Mercosur and Venezuela

Last July, I wrote about the challenges Mercusor would face as a result of Venezuela joining. Now those very issues are starting to emerge as representatives come to Rio for a conference. Hugo Chávez wants the organization to be more political, and Brazil is chafing at the sudden challenge to its leadership.

So, for example, Chávez says Mercosur should be about “decontaminating the contamination of neoliberalism.” This would mean changing it entirely, since Mercosur is based on the idea of open markets and capitalism.

Chávez wants it to reflect “anti-imperialism.” Yet most of the countries, even the supposedly “leftist” ones, have good relationships with the United States and don’t want to antagonize it unnecessarily.

A former Foreign Minister of Brazil summed it up nicely:

Mr. Lampreia, referring to his former colleagues, said, “They’re starting to realize they’ve fallen into a trap.” He added: “They thought they could influence Chávez, but he can’t be influenced. He’s the owner of the ball, rich and all-powerful, and says and does what he wants.”