Western Hemisphere
A strong political debate is being held on Monday in the Brazilian Senate, whose Committee on Foreign Affairs will vote on Thursday the ratification of the protocol of Venezuela's accession into the Common Market of the South (Mercosur), signed in July 2006.

The parties opposed to the government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, which are against the approval of the protocol, convened Caracas Metropolitan Mayor, Antonio Ledezma, to speak on Tuesday before the Committee.

At the same meeting, David Bittan, the Vice President of the Confederation of Israelite Associations of Venezuela (CAIV) will speak before the Brazilian senators. Bittan will reiterate his complaints about persecutions of Jewish people by the government of Hugo Chávez.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Régis Arslanian, Brazil's representative to Mercosur and the Latin American Integration Association (Aladi), will speak on Tuesday in defense of the accession of Venezuela.