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Mercosur, the South American regional trading bloc, suspended Venezuela Thursday for allegedly not fulfilling the organization's policies in economic and immigration agreements, according to the Brazilian Foreign Ministry.
The four permanent and founding members, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, sent a letter to the country to indicate that its rights in the bloc "were suspended," said a source in the ministry, according to AFP.
According to this unnamed source, the information has not been made public since it still hasn't been made official, which could be implemented on Friday.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said the country will not leave Mercosur and said it was a plan by the right-wing governments in the bloc to expel Venezuela without any legal grounds and destroy the regional trading bloc.
"We are all aware that behind these actions there is not a real and genuine concern for the present and future of Mercosur, but the reckless use of the integration mechanism at the service of a policy of harassment towards the government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela," said Rodriguez.
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Mercosur had issued an ultimatum to Venezuela in September saying it must fulfill “its obligations” by December 1 or face suspension from the organization, after accusing the country of "not incorporating essential Mercosur rules into their national legislation."
According to Daniel Caggiani, vice president of Parlasur, this sets a negative precedent for regional integration and is a clear sign of a politically-motivated action. Caggiani said that any decision inside the organization needs to be agreed by all members.
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"Every country in the bloc complies with Mercosur legislation but doesn't incorporate it in their national laws," he said. "If there is in fact non-compliance by Venezuela, this cannot be determined by one of the parties but by a third party acting as mediator."
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said the right-wing governments want to expel Venezuela without any legal grounds as a way to destroy the regional trading bloc.
The three governments of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay blocked Venezuela's government from assuming Mercosur’s pro-tempore presidency on August 1. The position was handed over by Uruguay as part of a process that has traditionally adhered to alphabetical order.
After assuming temporary control, the three claimed that Venezuela’s move to assume the role was “self-proclaimed.”
Parlasur, the parliamentary branch of Mercosur, called Thursday morning on all member states to respect international law following and to adopt proper Mercosur legislation to contribute to the region's social, political and economic integration, protecting the foundations and institutionality of the bloc.
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"Every country in the bloc complies with Mercosur legislation but doesn't incorporate it in their national laws," he said. "If there is in fact non-compliance by Venezuela, this cannot be determined by one of the parties but by a third party acting as mediator."
According to a resolution signed in Montevideo on Thursday, the organization called on states to comply with international law and the organization's policies, as well as resolve differences and controversies inside Mercosur.
In October, Argentina's President Mauricio Macri suggested Maduro is ineligible to serve in office as evidence that “Venezuela cannot be part of Mercosur.” Shortly after his electoral win in November 2015 and before he had even been sworn in, Macri also called for Venezuela to be suspended, though he later backtracked.
President Macri has indicated he wants Mercosur to revert to its neoliberal foundations and reject Venezuela and its allies, including associate members Bolivia and Ecuador.
Mercosur was founded in 1991 to promote free trade and the movement of peoples and goods within the region, but it came to prominence during the so-called "Pink Tide," when most of the governments in the region were left-wing or left-leaning, meaning it has also acted as a vehicle for regional cultural and political integration.
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