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RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Brazil on Tuesday condemned the statement of Uruguayan Foreign Minister Rodolfo Nin Novoa, who accused Brazilian Foreign Minister Jose Serra of buying Uruguay's vote in the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) issue.
According to Uruguayan daily El Pais, Novoa said on Monday that the Brazilian government offered trade agreements with Uruguay to prevent Venezuela from taking over the Mercosur presidency.
Uruguay is supposed to hand over the rotating presidency of Mercosur to Venezuela. Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina do not agree with Venezuela's assuming the presidency until the end of 2016, while Uruguay does.
Brazil has summoned Uruguay's Ambassador in Brasilia Carlos Daniel Amorin-Tenconi to explain the matter, the Brazilian Foreign Ministry said.
"The Brazilian government received Novoa's declarations with profound discontentment and surprise," it said. "The tone of his statements is incompatible with the excellent relations between Brazil and Uruguay."
Mercosur is a sub-regional bloc and its full members are Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela.
