Although Brazil and Argentina are the largest members in Mercosur, Elias said Paraguay's advantages in the world market are location and natural and human resources. However, as a small country, Paraguay gains greater access to that world market through membership in Mercosur. Each country in the union has one vote, with equal weight. Elias said that globalization is necessary for Paraguay, in his personal opinion, because as outsiders, it will be impossible to develop business. Urbieta pointed out that, since the fall of the Soviet Union, the main world powers are the United States, the European Union and China.
China has the greatest population but lacks the experience to become a world leader.
Our countries are not involved in guerrilla warfare now, with the exception of Colombia, but we do have social problems to resolve. Those social problems include some political upheaval following the March 1999 assassination of Paraguay's vice president. With Mercosur we have not a very good situation, too. The political system is going to have to function with a democracy because it has a democratic treaty. Any country not using a democratic form of government will be automatically expelled from the union.