The BRICS allliance: currently formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa
Nicolas Maduro asked the new South African Ambassador to ensure Venezuela “participates somehow in this interesting construction of the BRICS”.
Even if some of its members are now making a killing doing business here, it’s unlikely that the BRICS group of nations will give some urgency to this request during its upcoming summit in Durban later this month.
Still, Maduro thinks his foreign affairs credentials could give him some advanatge to lobby those nations into getting in. He wants to visit China right after the election and invited South African President Jacob Zuma to come here soon.
Maybe he doesn’t want to join BRICS, but only a loan from its new development bank.
Interesting political move…would they even consider including Venezuela? And what would the acronym then be? BRICS-V? V-BRICS? Not sure that flows…
Beside the oil, Venezuela brings nothing useful to BRICS IMHO. Right now, the negatives of such move outweight the positives.
Besides, those countries are rising economic powers – I don’t think Venezuela could really fit in at this point. Maybe in the future, though?
Perhaps in the long, long term future. Perhaps.
In the long term exactly… but damn, it should be now, with any logical governance it would be NOW.
agree, geha. The concept of BRICS were applied by the international (mainly US-based) financial markets to those countries having a rising, strong, and diversified economy with relatively healthy indicators across the macroeconomic board. Vzla would only bring the group down.
Besides, BRICS are being replaced by MIST. So Maduro’s knowledge base, besides being in fantasy land, is out of date.
*concept of BRICS was applied…
Simple point: the BRICS are developing economies with rapid growth and a solid platform upon which the growth is built. In all cases, Russia and China included, private enterprise plays a foundational role in that platform. Does “Nicolasito” seriously believe that (a) Venezuela’s decrepit and declining state-owned companies, (b) its vanishing private sector, (c) its foreign debt and dependence on a single export (mismanaged) all give it a foundation to be a BRIC?
He’s got to be kidding.
Incredulously, he will argue that yes, that does give it a foundation to be a BRIC. He’ll invent whatever reason necessary. By some crazy chance they say “OK” to this response – or that they will consider Venezuela’s entry – would this in any way actually benefit Maduro before the elections?
It probably could. But it’s a very, very long shot.
Venezuela a BRICS country?!?!?!?!? hahahahahah , too funny. Zimbabwe has a better chance!
VISA? Venezuela – Iran – Syria – Argentina / a group of screwed up countries lead by hysterical megalomaniacs.
VISA – Everywhere you don’t want to be.
Maduro would join any club that will lend him money, but no one is crazy enough to lend it to him.
All of the BRICS are in trouble economic wise, politically and all are having domestic problems and somebody has been reading too much media hype. See no use in joining another capitalist grouping.
Zuma should stay home.
Just complete the revolution.
For once, we agree on something.
You forgot the CIA, Honduras, GITMO, and the Malvinas.
Troll slips make me smile.
Also Dresden, Trail of Tears and ummm….. let’s see the California Gold Rush.
See how easy that is?
But the California Gold Rush was a good thing, as Che Guevara had an ancestor who went to California for the Gold Rush. :)
Cort! What happens after the revolution? Do we all sit have a cold beer?
… oh yeah, what does that complete revolution look like?
Greece ?
Atlantis.
In theory, a paradise. In reality, a sunken ruin…if it were real.
The new pope should come out to St Peters valcony with The Rocks theme as his entrance music http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmR5IZt-hTo
OT: The new Pope is from Latin America, Cardinal Bergoglio from Argentina. He will be known as Francis.
Oh my.
This kinda reminds me of the election of Pope John Paul II in 1978. He helped bring down communism.
What will Francis I do?
This is a much bigger story to South America than what appears at first glance. Could Capriles…..? Huge.
`no, it’s much smaller. the ENTIRE DAILY NEWSPAPER of every city in South America is nothing but the Pope. How exactly could this be “bigger…than what appears at first glance”?
>>> … Nicolas Maduro asked the new South African Ambassador to ensure Venezuela “participates somehow in this interesting construction of the BRICS”.
Begging to be included ?
We are talking about Venezuela – One of the richest countries on Earth.
BRICS should be ingratiating themselves to get their feet into our country!
BTW Congrats to all Argentinos for their contribution to the Catholic Community.
I am greatly elated!
He’s a Jesuit.
Un abrazo a todos los alumnos de los colegios jesuitas.
Personalmente soy de escuelas Sainte Jeanne d’Arc, Loyola
Fundador, sois Ignacio, y General……..
Richest countries? Maybe in shamefully under developed resources like petroleo, tourism, industry….
Richest country???? isn’t that the problem with the expectations for this country? Venezuela is NOT rich. Even if it wasn’t mired with criminal levels of mismanagement and certainly a corrupt government, it would not be a rich country.
wow, Bergoglio didn’t even seem to be among the top front-runners. Menos mal que ya se decidió.
A los argentinos se les va a hinchar la cabeza. :-)
Que va! A un pueblo tan modesto? Nunca!
A los argentinos se les va a hinchar la cabeza. :-)
You mean, se les va a hinchar, AUN MAS, la cabeza.
Quien los va a aguantar ahora?
Más? Chiste..a ver,. cómo se suicida un argentino?
- se sube a su ego y se lanza
South Africa shouldn’t have been ‘let in’: totally out of kilter with the BRIC nations. I suspect it as more a strategic position that allowed it in thinking of the future, fighting over Antarctica etc (near future)
“I’d like to participate somehow in BRICS.”
Delightfully campy. To give credit to Maduro he seems to be thinking outside the box beyond alignment with the usual wackjobs. This pursuit must mean that either (1) the chinese credit line is really dried up or Maduro is very nervous about it or (2) given the timing, that he’s just trying to advertise his “foreign relations credentials” and distance himself from the discredited bunch of losers he had to party with last week and bounce back from the embarrassing Ahmadinejad affair. I don’t think the average Chavista will really care. Funny thing about Maduro is that even when he has what appears to be a reasonably good idea for their bench it comes out so poorly.
Because China, Russia and Brasil all seek to profit heavily from having a ‘Special Relationship’ with Venezuela and are owed a lot of money by Venezuela (not so much india and south africa) maybe Maduro thinks there is a chance of Venezuela being allowed to play some kind of role in any BRIC organization for publicity purposes . Maduro is not thinking of economic realities when he mentions the theme , he is thinking of his capacity to pressure these countries into doing something which gives him a cheap propaganda theme. We ought to be able to figure this out by now.
V-NAZIS? Venezuela – Nicaragua – Argentina – Zimbawe – Iran – Syria
NAIVES! Nicaragua – Argentina – Iran – Venezuela – Ecuador – Syria …..this is fun
I think that Venezuela, being a petrostate AND a member of the powerhouse that is Alba AND having recently joined that once promising and now failed experiment that is Mercosur, has the historical and revolutionary duty of assembling a group that brings together the interest of nations such as the following:
Nicaragua
Iran
Dominica
Ecuador
Venezuela
Argentina
Irak
Nigeria
Angola
You guys work out the acronym…
You forgot zimbabwe
Absolutely brilliant!
NIDEVAINAZ
Great stuff, kudos moder/Jota!
@NelsonBocaranda
runrun:Parece que no habrá embalsamamiento y se cumplirá el deseo de Chavez…entierro y en Sabaneta. Anótenlo
me parece una decisión sensata. por fin.
OT
Capriles show go on TV and talk extensively about his entire political career, with emphasis on the more right-wing sounding stuff, and then how he shifted to where he is. Two reasons:
1.- This is an “8 Mile” situation, if you ever watched that movie. The enemy already has access to information about all his life, and they have no scrupules. Why not take their weapon from them and
2.- Trust er pueblo to believe in a pro-active man that transforms himself instead of some Stalinist statue of a person.