Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will encourage this week his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chávez to speed up the talks for Venezuela's membership in Mercosur trade bloc, said on Wednesday the Brazilian President's spokesman.

Lula will pay a short visit to Caracas on Friday. Then, the improvement of bilateral border and energy relations will be discussed also, Marcelo Baumbach told reporters, Reuters quoted.

The incorporation of Venezuela as full member of Mercosur -composed of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay- depends on its approval by the Brazilian and Paraguayan congresses.

Baumbach, disregarding a potential green light by both legislatures, noted that the talks had reached a technical level and Venezuela should be quick to fulfill additional requirements.

For instance, he said that the Venezuelan government had not submitted yet the lists of tax relief for Brazilian commodities.