Argentina Backtracks on Venezuela Mercosur Suspension

Argentina's President-elect Mauricio Macri has backtracked on an election pledge to seek to suspend Venezuela from the Mercosur regional bloc, a top government official said Monday.

Argentina's Foreign Minister designate Susana Malcorra said that since the right-wing secured a majority in Venezuela's legislative elections, the country appeared to be a democracy.

“I think that today we can say that the elections have worked as established by the democratic framework and it appears that the results, which have been recognized by President (Nicolas) Maduro, are a majority for the opposition,” Malcorra told Argentine radio broadcaster Mitre.

“Nothing indicates that there is a reason for the democratic clause to be applied,” she added.

Venezuela's right-wing coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) won a majority in Venezuela's National Assembly in the elections on Sunday.

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Macri had vowed to push to suspend Venezuela from the Mercosur bloc after he is sworn in on Dec.10.

"It is evident that the bloc's clause should be invoked because the accusations are clear and without doubt, they are not made up," Macri said last month, seemingly referring to allegations of human rights abuses made against Venezuela's progressive government by right-wing opposition groups.

Macri won Argentina's presidential elections in November, marking the first time the right wing has taken power through democratic means.

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In response, Uruguay's Finance Minister Danilo Astori said there was “little possibility” Argentina's incoming right-wing government would be able to convince other Mercosur leaders to turn against Venezuela.

“Mercosur's democratic clauses are aimed at responding to breakdowns of (state) institutions … and in respect to Venezuela, I don't think there has been a breakdown of institutions,” Astori said in November.

Along with vowing to turn Argentina against Venezuela, Macri, a businessperson and former mayor of Buenos Aires, has promised to cut capital controls and trade restrictions in the name of boosting Argentina’s ailing economy. He is also expected to cut subsidies to the energy and transportation sectors.

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