Stories for June 2012
Mercosur ‘suspended’ Paraguay feels free to establish trade links with other countries
President Federico Franco announced in a press conference that if Paraguay is suspended from Mercosur the country will feel free to look for other trade agreements and international relations.
Mercosur Secretary General resigns and walks out from the Mendoza summit
Mercosur Secretary General Samuel Pinheiro Guimaraes resigned to his post in the midst of the Mendoza summit following a strong exchange with the group of Foreign Ministers, indicated reports from Buenos Aires.
Mercosur announced admission of Venezuela as a full member end of July
Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay made official on Friday the temporary suspension of Paraguay from Mercosur, because of the ‘summary’ removal of President Fernando Lugo and at the same time announced Venezuela will be incorporated to the group on July 31 at a meeting in Rio do Janeiro.
Brazil/Uruguay overrule Argentina: no Mercosur economic sanctions on Paraguay
Mercosur will not impose economic sanctions on Paraguay despite concerns over the ousting of the country's president, officials said on Thursday evening at the summit taking place in Mendoza, Argentina.
Unasur will debate how to remove the group’s presidency from ‘illegitimate’ Paraguay
Besides the Mercosur summit, the Argentine city of Mendoza will also be hosting on Friday an emergency meeting from the Union of South American nations to discuss Paraguayan president Fernando Lugo’s swift removal and replacement by a government which has triggered strong resistance in the continent.
Former impeached Brazilian president argues the “process in Paraguay was legal”
The removal of Fernando Lugo from the Paraguayan Executive office was legal, said Brazilian former president and Senator Fernando Collor, quoted by O’Globo. He insisted there was “no coup”.
Argentina insists with 5.1% growth forecast for 2012 despite signs to the contrary
Argentina's government is sticking to its 5.1% growth forecast for 2012 enshrined in the budget, Economy Minister Hernan Lorenzino said on Thursday, despite recent data that shows a sharp deceleration.
Rousseff unveils 55bn dollars in loans at lower rates for the 2012/13 farm season
Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff has unveiled a 115-billion-Reais (55 billion dollars) loan program aimed at reinforcing agriculture's role as a lever of Brazilian economic growth.
Ban Ki-moon calls for peaceful resolution of Paraguayan situation
Ahead of a regional meeting on Paraguay, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called on all concerned to “work in the days ahead to ensure the peaceful resolution of differences” which led to the removal of the Paraguayan president.
Uruguay’s project for a deepwater port on the Atlantic takes off
Uruguay’s government is going forward with plans to build its first deepwater port along the Atlantic coastline in a place called “La Angostura”, an investment estimated in over 700 million dollars and which it wants to use as a platform to begin exporting iron-ore to China.
