Uruguay Says Alleged Buying of Votes in Mercosur Was a Misunderstanding

08/18/2016 - 11h04

On Wednesday, August 17, Uruguay said the interpretation that Brazil allegedly tried to "buy its vote" to stop Venezuela from taking temporary presidency of Mercosur was a misunderstanding.

The statement of the Uruguayan Chancellor, Rodolfo Nin Novoa, that President Tabaré Vázquez was "very upset" with the Brazilian government's proposal led to rising tension.

Novoa says his Brazilian colleague, José Serra, told him that, if Uruguay approved Venezuela's suspension from Mercosur, Brazil "would take us along in its negotiations with other countries," in a reference to commercial agreements.

Serra even asked the Uruguayan ambassador in Brasília, Carlos Daniel Amorín-Tenconi, to give explanations as a sign of disapproval.

On Wednesday, August 17, Serra said that the situation was resolved. Hours later, the Uruguayan chancellery confirmed the interpretation of the misunderstanding. "It was made thoroughly clear that the proposal does not have any relation with the change in presidency of Mercosur," Serra wrote in a report.

Of the four founding members of Mercosur, Uruguay is the only in favor of Venezuela as its president. Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay are against the proposal as they reject the country's president, Nicolás Maduro. Due to the stalemate, Mercosur has not had a president since August 1.

Translated by THOMAS MUELLO

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