Experts say a promise by Argentina's president-elect to expel Venezuela from the Mercosur trade bloc seems unlikely.
Venezuela became a full member of the South American bloc in 2012.
Argentina's new leader, Mauricio Macri, says he'll push to remove it because of the Venezuelan government's jailing of opposition leaders.
Expulsion would be a huge shift for a region where several countries have left-leaning democratic governments with close ties to Venezuela.
But Mercosur members and academics say it is unlikely unless President Nicolas Maduro's government didn't respect the results of Venezuela's crucial Dec. 6 congressional elections.
Mercosur has a "democratic clause" saying a country can be sanctioned when it has "broken the democratic order." It must be voted on by all member countries except the nation being denounced.
This content appears as provided to The Globe by the originating wire service. It has not been edited by Globe staff.