Brazilian Senate President
Denies Interference in Venezuela's Entrance to Mercosur
Rio de Janeiro - Brazilian Senate President Jose Sarney denied
Thursday that he intends to stand in the way of Venezuela's entry
into the Southern Common Market (Mercosur).
Sarney said the bill for Venezuela's inclusion in Mercosur will
receive the same treatment in the Senate as any other bill.
"I have my friendship loyalties, party loyalties and political
loyalties, but I will not act on them at the cost of the Senate. I
will do exactly as the Senate regulations determine. Everything will
follow the regular procedures, with no interference from me," he
said.
The statement was a response to allegations that Sarney had agreed
to obstruct Venezuela, in exchange for opposition parties' support
for his candidacy to the presidency of the Senate.
Sarney, a former Brazilian president, was elected president of the
Senate on Feb. 2. Though he is a leader of the Brazilian Democratic
Movement Party, which is an ally of President Luiz Inacio Lula da
Silva, he had the support of the country's two major opposition
parties, Democrats and Brazilian Social Democracy Party.
The senator had said repeatedly in the past that he was against
Venezuela entering the Mercosur due to ideological disagreements
with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
Venezuela's entrance to the Mercosur was signed in 2006, but needs
to be ratified by the parliaments of all four member countries --
Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.
The Argentine and Uruguayan parliaments have already ratified the
measure. The Brazilian House of Representatives approved the bill in
December.
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