Venezuela's Chavez urges Mercosur to turn to the left

RIO DE JANEIRO (AFP) - Venezuela's leftist firebrand President Hugo Chavez pressed leaders of South America's Mercosur trade bloc to reject neoliberalism and US imperialism as they work to overcome differences on forging a new, integrated economic front.

"In this new era, politics and ideology are taking over as priorities, not markets," Chavez told leaders of the South American bloc on the last day of a two-day summit.

"The neo-liberal era in Latin America is over. We will not allow it to return, much less dictatorships," Chavez, the closest political and economic ally of Cuba's communist regime, said Friday, a day after lawmakers at home voted to grant Chavez the power to rule by decree for 18 months.

Evo Morales

©AFP - Sergio Barros

"Imperialism is not some made-up fairy tale. The United States has imposed it with blazing cannons and coups d'etat," said Chavez, who often accuses the United States of wanting to oust and kill him. "Every pro-development, progressive effort was overthrown."