A Critical / Progressive Look @ Regional Integration: January 2006

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Press Release

Source: Industrialinfo.com

Venezuela Enters Mercosur as a Permanent Member, an Industrialinfo.com News Alert
Monday January 9, 11:55 am ET

CORDOBA, Argentina--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 9, 2006--Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated; Houston, Texas). Venezuela has joined Mercosur, a free trade zone commonly known as the Southern Common Market. The entry of the world's fifth largest oil exporter to Mercosur will add South America's sixth largest economy to the group originally comprised of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Venezuela will be an ordinary member, technically defined as "Estado Parte," meaning that, for now, it will have a voice but no vote.

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<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <NOSCRIPT> </table> <p class=MsoNormal style='mso-element:frame'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:12.0pt'><script type="text/javascript"> if (window.yzq_a == null) document.write("<scr" + "ipt type=text/javascript src=http://us.js2.yimg.com/us.js.yimg.com/lib/bc/bc_1.7.2.js></scr" + "ipt>"); </script><script type="text/javascript"> if (window.yzq_a) { yzq_a('p', 'P=_UThuNhtfJCZZ.wZQ6FBBwI9P9pmvEPFDAAAA5sn&T=1ctsdcr10%2fX%3d1136987136%2fE%3d7811759%2fR%3dfin%2fK%3d5%2fV%3d1.1%2fW%3d8%2fY%3dYAHOO%2fF%3d916671592%2fH%3dY29icmFuZD0iPGEgaHJlZj1odHRwOi8vd3d3LmJ1c2luZXNzd2lyZS5jb20.PGltZyBib3JkZXI9MCBzcmM9aHR0cDovL3VzLmkxLnlpbWcuY29tL3VzLnlpbWcuY29tL2kvdXMvZmkvZ3IvcGFydG5lcl9sb2dvcy9idXNpbmVzc3dpcmVfMTcweDMzX2xvZ28uZ2lmIGFsdD1CdXNpbmVzc1dpcmUuY29tPjwvYT4iIGNhY2hlaGludD0iNzgxMTc1OSIgY2FjaGVoaW50PSI3ODExNzU5Ig--%2fS%3d1%2fJ%3dD3776DD8'); yzq_a('a', '&U=1393smk9a%2fN%3dAoxyLthtfF8-%2fC%3d371184.7214077.8595811.1383221%2fD%3dLREC%2fB%3d3193578'); } </script><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <NOSCRIPT></NOSCRIPT> </table> <p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial'>Apparently, the Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez's main objective is to politically and economically unite a significant part of <st1:place w:st="on">South America</st1:place>. However, many analysts expect that his plans will end up aggravating Mercosur's internal divisions and will do little to help Mercosur become a more powerful force or increase trade among member nations. Although Mercosur's members have formed a common front on issues like opposition to the subsidies rich nations give their farmers, critics say the most flagrant failure of the trade pact has been its inability to fully integrate the economies of the participating nations. Instead, frequent trade battles have occurred between Mercosur's members. <st1:country-region w:st="on">Venezuela</st1:country-region> will increase the total population of Mercosur nations to 252 million, almost 70% of <st1:place w:st="on">South America</st1:place>'s 362 million people. And after adding <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Venezuela</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s $78 billion in annual gross domestic product, Mercosur's GDP of $803 billion would be a whopping 89% of the continent's $906 billion in goods and services produced each year. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial'>The new entrant arrives at a crucial time, as high oil prices make Venezuela's promise of lower-cost energy all the more attractive. With the new member, <st1:place w:st="on">South America</st1:place>'s biggest trade bloc will become the biggest source of energy in the American Continent. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial'>Some experts say that <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Venezuela</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s exports to Mercosur nations are not estimated to rise any faster than normal once it becomes a member. It is also not expected to gain more diversity in the trade within Mercosur. The country's biggest exports by far are oil and petrochemical products, and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Venezuela</st1:place></st1:country-region> has little more to offer its new partners. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial'>Mercosur's members have set a one-year waiting period before <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Venezuela</st1:place></st1:country-region> is fully integrated into Mercosur. This process could be accelerated, though. During this period, from: <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Venezuela</st1:place></st1:country-region> will have voice but not vote, and it is supposed to meet certain prerequisites, such as signing the Treaty of Asuncion and other protocols. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial'>Tariff agreements <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial'>Mercosur was founded by <st1:country-region w:st="on">Argentina</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Brazil</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Uruguay</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Paraguay</st1:place></st1:country-region> in 1991. Since then, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Venezuela</st1:country-region> - along with <st1:country-region w:st="on">Peru</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Bolivia</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chile</st1:place></st1:country-region> - has held associate member status. This blocked it from participating in many important Mercosur tariff agreements. From now on, as a full member, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Venezuela</st1:place></st1:country-region> will have to adopt Mercosur's common external tariff. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p><st1:country-region w:st="on"><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial'>Brazil</span></font></st1:country-region><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial'> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Argentina</st1:place></st1:country-region> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial'>Venezuelan citizens, especially farmers, complain about <st1:country-region w:st="on">Brazil</st1:country-region>, South America's largest economy, and <st1:country-region w:st="on">Argentina</st1:country-region>, <st1:place w:st="on">South America</st1:place>'s second largest economy. These countries could steamroll the Venezuelan economy via cheap imports of everything from beef to beans. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p><st1:country-region w:st="on"><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial'>Venezuela</span></font></st1:country-region><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial'> is a huge importer of food, cars, and industrialized products, which would theoretically help <st1:country-region w:st="on">Brazil</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Argentina</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s economies. Both nations are heavily industrialized, and have already staked out international reputations as agricultural superpowers in products such as soybeans. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial'>Political Interests <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial'>According to Forbes.com, Chavez is already using <st1:country-region w:st="on">Venezuela</st1:country-region>'s entry into Mercosur to increase opposition to the Free Trade Zone of the <st1:country-region w:st="on">Americas</st1:country-region>, saying that <st1:place w:st="on">South America</st1:place>'s "destiny is Mercosur, and that's anti-FTAA." Apart from that, it's almost certain that Chavez, who led the anti-FTAA crusade in <st1:City w:st="on">Mar del Plata</st1:City> (<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Argentina</st1:place></st1:country-region>), has political interests to get through Mercosur. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial'>For more breaking industrial news in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Americas</st1:place></st1:country-region> check out Industrialinfo.com's Premium Industrial News at <a href="http://www.industrialinfo.com">www.industrialinfo.com</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial'>Industrial Information Resources (IIR) is a Marketing Information Service company that has been doing business for over 22 years. IIR is respected as the leader in providing comprehensive market intelligence pertaining to the industrial processing, heavy manufacturing, and energy-related industries throughout the world. For more information, send inquiries to <a href="mailto:refininggroup@industrialinfo.com">refininggroup@industrialinfo.com</a> or visit us online at www.industrialinfo.com. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:12.0pt'><br clear=all> <i><span style='font-style:italic'>Contact:</span></i><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <pre><font size=2 face=Courier><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Industrialinfo.com, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Houston</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font size=2 face=Courier><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Mike Bergen, 713-783-5147<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Verdana'> <span lang=EN-GB>From: <a href="http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/060109/20060109005631.html?.v=1">http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/060109/20060109005631.html?.v=1</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </div><div style="clear:both; padding-bottom:0.25em"></div> </p> </div> <p class="post-footer"> <em>posted by Emmanuel.K.Bensah II @ <a href="http://regionswatch2.blogspot.com/2006/01/finally-venezuela-becomes-sixth-member.html" title="permanent link">1:50 pm</a></em> <a class="comment-link" href="https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=11374508&postID=113698744732205804"location.href=https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=11374508&postID=113698744732205804;>0 comments</a> <span class="item-action"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/email-post.g?blogID=11374508&postID=113698744732205804" title="Email Post"><img class="icon-action" alt="" src="https://resources.blogblog.com/img/icon18_email.gif" height="13" width="18"/></a></span><span class="item-control blog-admin pid-729256153"><a style="border:none;" href="https://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=11374508&postID=113698744732205804&from=pencil" title="Edit Post"><img class="icon-action" alt="" src="https://resources.blogblog.com/img/icon18_edit_allbkg.gif" height="18" width="18"></a></span> </p> </div>     </div>  <div id="sidebar"><div id="sidebar2">  <div id="profile-container"><h2 class="sidebar-title">About Me</h2> <dl class="profile-datablock"><dt class="profile-img"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/profile/18425904642659360906"><img src="//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj38YvdwOhitQiUFrdv7A7eYpaxDp7-NIDEVZJ1TqD5-PVjreR3vpfjpmU3yrN60Nm5zZFYp0gKGPIlWL8VqXpRDJl7aHyi3dw3EDjkqLP2a0e0kgcgibClMler1RVeKYU/s220/IMG_1275_2.JPG" width="80" height="60" alt="My Photo"></a></dt> <dd class="profile-data"><strong>Name:</strong> <a rel="author" href="https://www.blogger.com/profile/18425904642659360906"> Emmanuel.K.Bensah II </a></dd> <dd class="profile-data"><strong>Location:</strong> Accra, East Legon, Ghana </dd></dl> <p class="profile-textblock">I love Brussels, but I had to come back to my home of Accra, Ghana in Aug 2004 to work professionally. 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Answers</a></div> </div>  <h2 class="sidebar-title"><font color=blue>Previous Posts</font></h2> <ul id="recently"> <li><a href="http://regionswatch2.blogspot.com/2006/08/apologies.html">APOLOGIES....</a></li> <li><a href="http://regionswatch2.blogspot.com/2006/07/fw-commentary-world-of-nation-blocs.html">FW: COMMENTARY: A World of Nation-Blocs -->a rathe...</a></li> <li><a href="http://regionswatch2.blogspot.com/2006/06/week-of-26606-regionswatch-news-ecowas.html">Week of 26/6/06: RegionsWatch News: ECOWAS Airline...</a></li> <li><a href="http://regionswatch2.blogspot.com/2006/04/weekof10april2006-thursday.html">weekof10april2006-thursday</a></li> <li><a href="http://regionswatch2.blogspot.com/2006/04/regionswatch-news-week-of-3-april_04.html">RegionsWatch News: Week of 3 April--Tuesday: MEXIC...</a></li> <li><a href="http://regionswatch2.blogspot.com/2006/02/comesa-court-of-justice-moves-to.html">COMESA COURT OF JUSTICE MOVES TO PERMANENT SEAT IN...</a></li> <li><a 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href="http://regionswatch2.blogspot.com/2005/10/">October 2005</a></li> <li><a href="http://regionswatch2.blogspot.com/2006/01/">January 2006</a></li> <li><a href="http://regionswatch2.blogspot.com/2006/02/">February 2006</a></li> <li><a href="http://regionswatch2.blogspot.com/2006/04/">April 2006</a></li> <li><a href="http://regionswatch2.blogspot.com/2006/06/">June 2006</a></li> <li><a href="http://regionswatch2.blogspot.com/2006/07/">July 2006</a></li> <li><a href="http://regionswatch2.blogspot.com/2006/08/">August 2006</a></li> </ul> <h2 class="sidebar-title"><font color=red>I'm Writing a Thriller!</font></h2> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2064/836/1600/endofthenight-cover.jpg"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2064/836/320/endofthenight-cover.jpg" border="0" alt="original cover" width=200 height=200 /></a> <h2 class="sidebar-title"><font color=red>VISIT GHANA!</font></h2> <li><a href="http://www.fly-Ghana.com">Book your flight to Ghana ONLINE on Ghana International Airlines</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.areeba.com.gh">AREEBA Ghana (mobile provider of GPRS, <i>inter alia...</i>)</li> <li><a href="http://www.onetouch.com.gh">Ghana's semi-privatised National mobile provider ONETOUCH</i></li> <li><a href="http://www.talkingdrum.com.gh">Ghana's Dialup/Broadband 'Net Access Page</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.ghanatour.org">Ghana Tour</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.ghanatourism.gov.gh/main/index.asp">Ghana Tourism Page</a></li> <h2 class="sidebar-title"><font color=red>My Other Blogs / My Passions</font></h2> <li><a href="http://twelvedaysintunis.blogspot.com">12 Days in TUNISIA for <A href="http://www.itu.int/wsis">World Summit in Information Society (WSIS)</a></li> <li><a href="http://ekbensahinghana.blogspot.com">Discover my <b>Trials and Tribulations</b> of Living life, and Working in Accra, Ghana after 2 decades in Brussels</a></li> <li><a href="http://regionswatch.tripod.com">Regional Integration</a></li> <li><a href="http://un_org.tripod.com">United Nations</a></li> <li><a href="http://wtomc4.tripod.com">Culled WTO / Globalisation articles</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.verio.com">Verio.Com</a></li> <h2 class="sidebar-title"><font color=red>International Relations</font></h2> <li><a href="http://unitedwelay.blogspot.com">United We Lay</a><b>{R}</b></li> <li><a href="http://whos-afraid-of-peter-mandelson.blogspot.com">Who's Afraid of EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson?</a><b>{R}</b></li> <li><a href="http://regionswatch.blogspot.com">Monitoring regional integration trends worldwide</a><b>{R}</b></li> <li><a href="http://kathiemoffatt.blogspot.com/">It's All About Politics</a></li> <li><a href="http://unitednations-apologist.blogspot.com">Why we Need the UN...</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.risq.org">Review of International Social Questions</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.afrika.no/">Norwegian Council for Africa</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.nupi.no/English/">Norwegian Institute of International Affairs </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.upi-fiia.fi/english/navigation/upiframeset.htm">Finnish Institute of International Affairs </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.clingendael.nl/">Netherlands Institute of International Affairs (Clingendael) </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.riia.org/">Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House)</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.newstatesman.com">New Statesman</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk">Prospect Magazine</a></li> <h2 class="sidebar-title">Regional Integration-related BLOGS</h2> <ul> <li><a href="http://ourlatinamerica.blogspot.com/">The Latin Americanist</a></li> <li><a href="http://futureworldaffairs.blogspot.com">Future World Affairs (op-eds from ASEAN perspective)</a></li> <li><a href="http://martigas.blogspot.com/2006/05/ejercicio-8.html">Some Regional organisations..in Spanish</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.webmanagercenter.com/management/article.php?id=7080">CEDEAO - UE Une zone de libre-Ã©change sans intÃ©gration Ã©conomique</a>Tunisian-based economic website on finance, privatisation, etc</li> <li><a href="http://ecowasnews.com">ECOWAS news</a></li> <li><a href="http://takeitpersonally.blogspot.com/2006/07/mercosur-summit-followed-by-peoples.html">An alternative look at NEWS THAT MATTERS:</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.asiapacificnews.com">ASIA Pacific News</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.wncaribbean.com/">Caribbean News</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.wnsouthamerica.com/">South American News</a></li> <li><a href="http://winbald.noosblog.fr/about.html">Senegalese blogger on economic issues (UNCTAD/LDCs, etc) </a></li> </ul> <h2 class="sidebar-title"><font color=red>BELGIAN Blogs / Links</font></h2> <li>NEW!--><a href="http://weblog.jrc.cec.eu.int/page/wallstrom">Blog of the EU Vice-President Margot Wallstrom</a></li> <li>NEW!--><a href="http://brusselsdaybyday.blogspot.com/">Brussels: Day by Day </a></li> <li>NEW!--><a href="http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/869">The Brussels Journal (<i>beware, right-winging about!</i>) </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.fasteddiesbullet.com">Fast Eddie's Bullet</a><b>{R}</b></li> <li><a href="http://goblinblog.be/fr">Goblin Blog (<i>piccies</i>)</a></li> <li><a href="http://callmekoala.blogg.org">French blog</a></li> <li><a href="http://tine.blog-city.com">Tine's Blog</a></li> <li><a href="http://kathiemoffatt.blogspot.com">A student</a></li> <li><a href="http://julie.rezo.net/blog-julie.php3">Julie's Blog</a></li> <li><a href="http://dykesandthecity.com">Dykes & the City</a></li> <li><a href="http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:MINVkrUw-jAJ:amandamarais.blogspot.com/+%22amandamarais.blogspot.com%22&hl=en">Amanda's Blog</a><font color=black>+ R.I.P</font> <b>{R}</b></li> <li><a href="http://users.pandora.be/quarsan/weblog/index.html">My Life in the Bush of Ghosts</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.lalibre.be">La Libre Belgique</a></li> <h2 class="sidebar-title"><font color=red>Regular reads</font></h2> <font color=red><b>NEW!--></b><li><a href="http://www.infinitekarma.com">Infinite Karma</li> <li><a href="http://lauratooth.blogspot.com">Laura Tooth</li>--<i>18+</i><b>{R}</b></a> <li><a href="http://bustygal.blogspot.com">Wants and Needs</li> --<i>18+</i><b>{R}</b></a> <li><a href="http://maybejustonce.blogspot.com">Maybe Just Once</li>--<i>18+</i><b>{R}</b></a> <li><a href="http://thebulb.blogspot.com">Gimme a Rub-Dub-Dub</li></a> <li><a href="http://www.voidstar.com/ukpoliblog/index.php">UK Political Blog Feeds</li></a> <li><a href="http://www.livejournal.com/users/elsbro">Elsa's Journal</li> <b>{R}</b></a> <li><a href="http://www.livejournal.com/users/lovelylind/">Lovely Linda's Journal</li></a> <li><a href="http://anchorednomad.blogspot.com/">Anchored Nomad</li> <b>{R}</b></a> <li><a href="http://www.myboyfriendisatwat.com/">My Boyfriend is a Twat</li></a> <li><a href="http://newageharlot.blogspot.com/">New Age Harlot</li>--<i>18+</i><b>{R}</b></a> <li><a href="http://headofred.blogspot.com">Inside Red's Head</a> <li><a href="http://danielhg.blogspot.com">Blurred Clarity <b>{R}</b></a> <li><a href="http://rcw02.blogspot.com/">Tripping Over My Poke Stick <b>{R}</b></a> <li><a href="http://antonymouse.blogspot.com">The Tale of Antony Mouse <b>{R}</b></a> <li><a href="http://alyssadejour.blogspot.com">The Lovely Alyssa de Jour<b>{R}</b></a> <li><a href="http://sarongpartygirl.blogspot.com">Sarong Party Girl <b>{R}</b></a> <li><a href="http://topmacknigga.blogspot.com/">TopMackNigga--<i>18+</i></b></a></li> <li><a href="http://californiamike.blogspot.com/">Sixty Years of Being Horny--<i>18+</i></b></a></li> <li><a href="http://compassionat.blogspot.com/">Dwellings</b></a></li> <li><a href="http://french-word-a-day.typepad.com/">French Word a Day--<i>instructive!</i></b></a></li> <li><a href="http://julianagoesinternational.blogspot.com/">Juliana Goes International--<i>elle adore le franÃ§ais!</i></b></a></li> <li><a href="http://questi0ns1eep.blogspot.com/">Question Sleep--<i>rather profound</i></b></a></li> <li>WHERE ARE YOU?--><a href="http://www.seeyouinhellmel.blogspot.com/">Mel, PsychoSoccer Mum-Season II?</b> <b>{R}</b></a></li> <li><a href="http://blog.thinkersroom.com/">Thinker's Room</b></a></li> <li><a href="http://popeyeafrica.blogspot.com/">Popeye Africa </b></a></li> <li><a href="http://www.yaletojail.blogspot.com/">From Yale to Jail?</a></li> <li><a href="http://bizarremusic.blogspot.com/">Bizarre Music</a></li> <h2 class="sidebar-title"><font color=red>Relationships are hard to do</font></h2> <li>DEFUNCT?--><a href="http://dobya1.blogspot.com/">An aspiring player</b></a></li> <li><a href="http://lipslikeblog.blogspot.com/">Lips Like Sugar--<i>18+</i></b></a></li> <li><a href="http://bliatz.typepad.com/bliatz/">Bliatz</b></a></li> <li>DEFUNCT?--><a href="http://promisenottotell.blogspot.com/">Can U Keep a Secret?</b></a></li> <li><a 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A Critical / Progressive Look @ Regional Integration

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Finally, Venezuela becomes sixth member of MERCOSUR