Caracas, August 4 (RHC)-- The Venezuelan government has denounced the fact that Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay have refused to accept the official handover of the Mercosur trade bloc presidency to Caracas. Uruguay last week transferred the pro tempore presidency of Mercosur to Venezuela, but the region's right-wing governments are objecting to the move. The presidency of Mercosur rotates every six months based on alphabetical order.

The government of Venezuela has now sent an official statement denouncing a “triple alliance” of the “extreme right." Uruguay had scheduled a meeting to formally transfer the presidency, but had to cancel it since representatives of Paraguay and Brazil said they would not attend.

Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez, in response, criticized Argentinean Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra for what she described as an attack against the government of Venezuela.

Earlier this week, Foreign Minister of Paraguay Eladio Loizaga said his country did not approve of the “self-proclaimed” decision of Venezuela to hold the presidency. The Foreign Minister of Brazil Jose Serra also asserted that the presidency of the bloc is “vacant.”