Mercosul summit opens with Chavez's controversial declaration

The XXXII Summit of South American Common Market (Mercosul) opened on Thursday in Rio with a controversial declaration of Venezuelas President Hugo Chavez that he wants to decontaminate Mercosul from economic liberalism.

Chavez was responding to critics who said Venezuelas entering in Mercosul would reduce the groups credibility internationally, due to that he expressed intention to implement the so-called " 21st century socialism" in Venezuela.

The summits opening ceremony at Copacabana Palace Hotel gathered the presidents of most countries in South America.

Brazils Foreign Relations Minister Celso Amorim stressed in his speech the economic advances prompted by the creation of Mercosul 15 years ago. In the period, the trade among the countries comprising the group rose from 4.5 billion U.S. dollars to 25 billion U.S. dollars.

Amorim also praised the fact that Venezuela is entering the group. There is a clear perception that Mercosul is not only about the southern region, but actually about the whole South America.

Mercosul has four full members: Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. Venezuela is in process of acquiring full membership. Other five countries are associated to the group: Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia.

Source: Xinhua