Chavez: Venezuela's accession to Mercosur is "a defeat for the empire"

Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez on Friday celebrated the country's full membership in the Common Market of the South (Mercosur), following the temporary suspension of Paraguay, saying that it means "a defeat for imperialism and the groveling bourgeoisie."

The Venezuelan president told multi-state TV network Telesur channel that the full membership of Venezuela, which was blocked by the Congress of Paraguay, will have a "political, geopolitical, and social" impact, and that Mercosur has now "arrived in the Caribbean," DPA reported.

"This is a historic day. We should celebrate. This will have a geopolitical impact. I have no doubt that behind that group of Senators of Paraguay (who refused to approve Venezuela's entry) is the hand of the empire, trying to prevent the creation of a true power in South America," he said.

Chávez interrupted a meeting with his Army Chiefs of Staff to address the decision made at the Mercosur Summit held in Argentina, which is also examining the situation in Paraguay after the impeachment of President Fernando Lugo and the transfer of power to Federico Franco.

According to Chávez, Mercosur's decision to accept Venezuela, one of the major oil producers in the world, means a "defeat for the empire" and the "groveling bourgeoisie, including the Venezuelan bourgeoisie, which connected to the Paraguayan bourgeoisie to prevent" Venezuela's membership.