Brazilian Imperialism at play: Marco Aurelio Garcia is at it again

Chavez's man in Brazilia?
Marco Aurelio Garcia is a shadowy figure that intermittently occupies the forefront of Brazilian politics since Lula was elected 9 years ago.  He comes from the left but that has not stopped him from embracing Brazilian imperialism, the more so if that one will secure his vision of the world.  His role in supporting Chavez no matter what and making Venezuela a Brazilian dependency needs no further detail.  And with great courtesy he reminds us today that this is still his plan, that Chavez is good for Brazil even if he is not good for Venezuelans.  But Marco Aurelio Garcia is not well known for his democratic initiatives, unless someone is willing to prove me wrong.


I am one that does not espouse "integration" at any cost for Venezuela, and even less today that we are now a mono-producing country of oil unable to grow even half of its food.  If Venezuela were finally to be allowed to join the Mercosur, not only this one would not guarantee democracy for Venezuela as it is one of its missions, but that would compromise seriously Venezuela's recovery once we get rid of Chavez.  For reasons too long for this post, Chavez is throwing back Venezuela economy to mid XX century needs of industrial and agricultural protectionism to allow the reconstruction of a basic economy before we can join globalization.  Certainly Brazil, and Argentina do not want that since Venezuela economy already depends so much on their own.

Paraguay, the little guy of Mercosur, has the merit of pretending still to be a sovereign nation.  Two deadly wars were fought by them on this subject.  So the Senate of Paraguay has steadily refused to allow Venezuela into Mercosur until it gives better proofs to its commitment to democracy and Human Rights.  This is of course annoying for Marco Aurelio and his buddies who as a good scion of an imperialistic and even neocolonial wannabe power could not care less about human rights outside of Brazil.  So Marco Aurelio told Paraguay that Brazil was disgusted by the delays put by the Paraguayan Senate.

If there is any need for arguments against Venezuela getting inside the Mercosur, Marco Aurelio Garcia did supply a good one today.  As a Venezuelan I wish to thank Paraguay for blocking our access to Mercosur even if some of our own opposition politician want us in for whatever obscure and unreal reasons they offer us.  Ledezma et al. should be aware that no matter what the internal rules say or the treaty of Ushuaia pretended, once Venezuela is in Mercosur people like Marco Aurelio Garcia are NEVER going to help the return of democracy in Venezuela.  He said it so yesterday.  Neither Cristina nor Dilma will lift a finger, ever, and even less Pepe Mujica because Chavez is the perfect scarecrow to have to control their own rowdy left represented by people like Garcia, wolves in sheep clothing if we have ever seen them.