Excerpts of column Runrunes (Rumors) of July 5

HIGH

PARAGUAY. The only excuse of the (Venezuelan) government has been a brief note on (multi-state television network) Telesur, an international channel of Chavezism, where they explained that "(Foreign Minister Nicolás) Maduro was not the only one who met" with the Paraguayan military. They argued that the envoys of UNASUR led by Alí Rodríguez attended the dialogue. They added that they tried "to stop the illegitimate takeover of Vice President (Federico) Franco."

URUGUAY. Uruguayan Foreign Minister Luis Almagro acknowledged that his country had rejected the entry of Venezuela into Mercosur, among other things, because the terms of the Venezuelan membership were not clearly negotiated. He added that such entry was not final and would be subject to legal review. Following Almagro's statements, Uruguayan President José Mujica replied by saying that he and the presidents of Argentina and Brazil did take a decision on the matter. Mujica, however, backed his minister, who will be questioned by the Senate, for having said what he said. Again, Mujica tries to put things right with his buddy Chávez, as he did when he backed off from his statement that "when Chávez is gone there will be no 21st Century Socialism." After such declaration, Mujica had to visit Caracas, wait half a day for Chávez to meet and forgive him, and then he had to travel to the Summit (of the Americas) in Cartagena alone. Mujica on Wednesday opened his heart regarding Venezuelan membership: "Venezuela is much more than a government. It is a sister nation that exports energy and buys food. And we have years begging the Paraguayan Senate to allow Venezuela's entry into Mercosur." That is what money is for, not for Venezuela.

SAO PAULO FORUM. Analitica.com wisely described it as Forum-blah-blah: "This week we will have in Caracas a large representation of leftist tricksters. They come with the same empty rhetoric. Once again they will criticize wealthy countries. They will trumpet the ethereal defense of their so-called exploited peoples. The will blame the evils on the US. They are the ones who allowed Lula da Silva to manage them. Lula introduces himself as their leader, but he implemented capitalist recipes to boost Brazil, including plans to actually reduce poverty. They will meet here because someone paid for their air tickets; someone is paying for their hotel rooms and meals. They will speak again about the same, why stopping their rhetoric if that helps them sightseeing and live well without having a job? Then, they will depart very happy while in Venezuela the left-wing fails to supply electric power to the country." Froilán Barrios calls them "the widows of the Stalinism of the 21st Century." In Cuba they meant income, in Venezuela they mean expenses.