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CARACAS, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela on Tuesday rejected the allegation that there is a vacancy in the leadership of the five-member Southern Common Market (Mercosur) trade bloc, made by its members Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay.
The controversy emerges within the trade block over its leadership as Brazil and Paraguay objected to Venezuela's succession to the rotating presidency.
"Venezuela categorically rejects the invention of a fraudulent idea ... expressed in the false assumption that there is a vacancy in the pro-tempore presidency, which we have been legally fulfilling since July 29," Venezuela's Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement.
Uruguay's presidency of the bloc expired at the end of July and Venezuela was next in line to fill Mercosur's rotating six-month presidency.
However, Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay have refused to acknowledge the succession, maintaining that the seat remains vacant. Paraguay cited alleged human rights violations in Venezuela.
The incident underscores the political rift in South America as the three Mercosur members ruled by right-of-center governments are ideologically opposed to Venezuela's ruling socialist party.
Venezuela "denounces the machinations of the extreme right" in South America, the ministry said, adding Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay "comprised a new Triple Alliance" that was working against it.
The alliance is willing to destroy Mercosur in the process, the ministry warned, while expressing its willingness to continue to work to strengthen the bloc to further regional integration.
