Foreign Ministers of Mercosur Member Countries Have Initiated an Instrument that Could Lead to Expulsion of Venezuela from the Regional Bloc

The Foreign Ministers of the four Mercosur founding countries, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, met urgently in Buenos Aires, on April 1, 2017, to invoke the democracy clause, after the Supreme Court of Venezuela took over legislative functions controlled by the opposition. The ministers issued a declaration named “Taking into account the rupture of the democratic order in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela,” urging Venezuela to respect the division of powers and foreseen election schedules. Electoral timetable for the vote of governors in Venezuela is scheduled for 2017, while the presidential elections are to take place in 2018.

The initiative that could lead to the expulsion of Venezuela from the regional bloc was confirmed by the Brazilian Foreign Minister, Mr. Aloysio Nunes, shortly after the meeting.

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