By IANS
Caracas : President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela has said that his government would withdraw from the Mercosur economic bloc if the Brazilian Congress does not ratify its accession to the South American body in the next three months, Spanish news agency EFE reported Wednesday.
Founded in 1991, Mercosur comprises Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Several other countries are affiliated with the bloc as associate members. It aims at encouraging free trade and uninhibited transborder movement of people and currency.
In a televised address Tuesday, Chavez said Venezuela seeks a different system of South American integration and blamed certain sections of the Brazilian Congress for delaying the ratification process..
"We will wait until September. We won't wait any longer because there is no political or moral reason why the legislatures of Brazil and Paraguay should not approve our entry. If they don't do it we will withdraw until such time as new conditions are in place," Chavez said.
The president said that the obstacles Brazil is putting in the way of Venezuela's entry are due to Brazilian businessmen wanting to "dismantle" protection for Venezuelan producers.
"Venezuelan businessmen, I'm not leaving them unprotected against anyone, not against Brazil, not against the United States, not against Europe nor Iran nor anyone," the socialist president said.
He also warned businessmen in Brazil – one of Latin America's two biggest economies – that if Venezuela does not enter Mercosur, they have a lot more to lose than Venezuelans do.
He illustrated his statement with figures showing the vigorous growth of Brazilian exports to oil-rich Venezuela in recent years that went from US$539 million in 2003 to US$2.97 billion last year.
Chavez pointed out that the legislatures of Argentina and Uruguay have already approved Venezuela's entry into Mercosur. Paraguayan lawmakers have yet to approve Caracas' accession.
On the other hand, he described as "impertinent" the statement of Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorin, who said that Venezuela should apologize to lawmakers in Brasilia so they might expedite approval for its entry.
"Venezuela has nothing to apologize about. It is the Brazilian Congress that should apologize for meddling in Venezuela's internal affairs," Chavez said.
The controversy began when Brazilian lawmakers spoke out against Venezuela's decision not to renew the license of an opposition television station and Chavez replied by calling them "parrots" repeating Washington's slogans.
"If Brazil insists on Venezuela apologizing, we just won't enter. We're not desperate to enter Mercosur, even less when we see very little desire for change there," Chavez said.