Venezuela: South America Threatened by 'Extreme Right' Alliance

The Venezuelan government on Tuesday denounced the fact that Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay have refused to accept the official handover of the Mercosur trade bloc presidency to Caracas.

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Uruguay last week transferred the pro tempore presidency of Mercosur to Venezuela, but the region's right-wing governments are objecting to the move. The presidency of Mercosur rotates every six months based on alphabetical order.

The government of Venezuela has now sent an official statement denouncing a “triple alliance” of the “extreme right," composed of the governments of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay.

Uruguay had scheduled a meeting to formally transfer the presidency, but had to cancel it since representatives of Paraguay and Brazil said they would not attend.

"Argentina believes that no country can assume the pro tempore presidency without a handover and proposes a coordinators' meeting to solve this problem," Argentina's Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared.

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Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez, in response, criticized Argentine Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra for what she described as an attack against the government of Venezuela.

"We are concerned about how the Argentine Foreign Minister, who intends to be secretary-general of the United Nations, disrespects international treaties," Rodriguez said.

On Monday, Foreign Minister of Paraguay Eladio Loizaga said his country did not approve of the “self-proclaimed” decision of Venezuela to hold the presidency. The Foreign Minister of Brazil Jose Serra also asserted that the presidency of the bloc is “vacant.”