ECUADORIAN President Rafael Correa has slammed the “smear campaign” by his Argentinian counterpart against socialist ally Venezuela.

Argentinian president-elect Mauricio Macri pledged to have Venezuela expelled from South American trade bloc Mercosur over the jailing of opposition leaders for orchestrating deadly anti-government protests.

But Mr Correa said on Wednesday that Mr Macri’s comments were “clearly an interference in the internal affairs of Venezuela.”