Brazil moves to approve Venezuela in Mercosur

By Guido Nejamkis

BRASILIA (Reuters) - A committee in Brazil's lower house of Congress gave its approval on Wednesday to Venezuela's entry into the South American trade bloc Mercosur after months of diplomatic wrangling between both countries.

The proposal approved by the Chamber of Deputies' foreign relations committee still faces two more votes in the Chamber before it goes to the Senate, where an opposition critical of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez holds more power.

Other Mercosur members Argentina and Uruguay have already approved Venezuela's membership but the Paraguayan congress must still vote as well.

Chavez has accused Brazilian legislators of acting on behalf of Washington in delaying Venezuela's request to enter Mercosur.

In June, Chavez called Brazilian legislators "parrots" of the United States for criticizing his closure of an opposition TV station.

In response several congressmen threatened to block Venezuela's Mercosur entry, saying the Chavez government did not meet the trade group's democratic principles.

Brazil and Venezuela share the desire to deepen South American trade ties as a counterbalance to rich country interests but Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has often distanced himself from Chavez's anti-market and nationalist policies.

(Reporting by Guido Nejamkis)