The Chairwoman of Mercosur Human Rights Commission, legislator Adriana Peña, expects that Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez would take all the necessary measures to prevent that political bans of candidates implemented by the Comptroller General affect democracy in Venezuela.

Mercosur or Common Market of the South is a trade bloc comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Venezuela signed a membership agreement on June 17, 2006, but before becoming a full member its entry has to be ratified by the Paraguayan and the Brazilian parliaments.

The member of the Mercosur Parliament expects that President Chávez takes a decision on this matter. On the contrary, she said, she would be forced to travel to Caracas to examine the case of political ineligibility of candidates.

"I pray to God because it is not my intention to travel to Caracas to study the case. (...) The Comptroller General is provoking this situation and I trust that President Chávez will take all the necessary measures to stop this, and assure free elections," Peña said.