'I'm not in favour of locking Uruguay in the Mercosur'

Uruguayan President José “Pepe” Mujica stated that “it’s very difficult to make decisions when you belong to the Mercosur,” during an interview.

The Head of State assured this when he was asked about the explicit support of his country to Mexico, after Uruguay was included by French President Nicolas Sarkozy in the list of countries “that still are tax haven,” during the G20 summit held in Cannes.

“We didn’t move in the Latin American context. But it’s difficult to make decisions when you belong to the Mercosur and someone is not convinced or not accompanying. It’s tough to leave,” Mujica said. The regional block is formed by Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, while Venezuela remains in process to enter.

“I defend the Mercosur, but I’m not going to change Argentina’s or Brazil’s policies, it’s what we have and we have to adapt to it. Nevertheless, I’m not in favour of being locked in it. The country has to look for a diversification and we are going to do it,” he added regarding the criticisms of the opposition regarding the accusation of being a tax haven.

Mujica was interviewed during his official visit to Guadalajara, Mexico.