Paraguay suspended from Mercosur, no sanctions

The Mercosur trade bloc suspended Paraguay's membership on Friday for having impeached and ousted its president but will not slap economic sanctions on the poor, landlocked country.

The South American group also announced that Venezuela will become a full member starting July 31.

Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo was impeached by the country's Congress a week ago in a fast-track trial triggered by a land eviction that killed 17 people in clashes between police and landless peasants.

Argentine President Cristina Fernandez told other heads of state at a Mercosur summit Friday that the "democratic order was broken" in Paraguay because it carried out a two-hour trial where Lugo was not allowed a proper defense. It will remain suspended from Mercosur until it holds presidential elections next year.

More at: http://news.yahoo.com/paraguay-suspended-mercosur-no-sanctions-212129472.html

It's interesting that the article also reports that Venezuela's foreign minister Maduro contacted Paraguay's military leadership to urge them to support Lugo.

Apparently it's acceptable for Venezuela to interfere with the internal politics of another country -- but since Hugo sent that suitcase full of cash for Kirchner's election campaign in Argentina a few years ago, I guess it's not surprising.