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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, April 23rd 2024 - 13:42 UTC

Stories for May 2016

  • Thursday, May 19th 2016 - 08:14 UTC

    Maduro prepared to escalate state of emergency following massive protests

    “I will not hesitate if necessary to make such a decree to fight for the peace and security of this country,” pledged Maduro

    Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Wednesday he was prepared to escalate a state of emergency imposed this week after opposition-led protests in the capital and other cities. Maduro told supporters he would give the order - which implies suspending laws and rights to maintain public order - if “violent” anti-government acts occurred.

  • Thursday, May 19th 2016 - 08:02 UTC

    Lula's most trusted and closest political advisor sentenced to 23 years in prison

    Dirceu was former President Lula da Silva's chief of staff from 2003 to 2005 before being forced to step down over a congressional vote-buying scheme.

    A Brazilian federal judge on Wednesday sentenced Jose Dirceu, a former presidential chief of staff, to 23 years and three months in prison for his role in a massive corruption scheme centered on state-controlled oil company Petrobras. Judge Sergio Moro, who is spearheading the bribes-for-inflated contracts probe, found Dirceu guilty of accepting and paying bribes and money laundering.

  • Thursday, May 19th 2016 - 07:49 UTC

    Rousseff's party preparing a large national rally “Out with Temer”, for June first

    Falcao referred to acting president Temer as a “coup leader”, “illegal” and a “usurper”.

    Brazils' Worker's Party, PT, to which suspended President Dilma Rousseff belongs, insisted that the country is experiencing a “coup” and announced a campaign to “remove” acting President Michel Temer. PT president Rui Falcao said after a meeting of the national party directorate in Brasilia, that party members will continue “fighting the coup” and will undertake actions to raise society's awareness of the need to “get rid of Temer.”

  • Thursday, May 19th 2016 - 07:12 UTC

    “Humanitarian approach”, the new Falklands' policy of the Macri administration

    The column of Matin Dinatale, published in La Nacion displays the new policy under the heading ”Malvinas: Macri's approachment plan

    “Humanitarian approach” is how Argentine diplomacy plans to implement policy towards the Falkland Islands including greater air and sea contacts, which could lead to open trade, convincing Mercosur members to lift the ban, plus offers of specialized medicine and higher education opportunities for Falkland Islanders.

  • Thursday, May 19th 2016 - 06:50 UTC

    Argentina and US reestablish defense links after a nine-year freeze

    The delegation to Washington was headed by Angel Tello (L), head of Military Strategy and Affairs and Walter Ceballos, Defense Logistics Services

    Argentina and the United States are in the process of reestablishing strong defense links after a hiatus of seven years following this week's visit to the Pentagon of a high profile delegation from the ministry of defense which addressed several issues of mutual interest and common strategies.

  • Thursday, May 19th 2016 - 06:33 UTC

    Falklands' Rockhopper announces double contingent oil reserves: over 300m barrels

    Rockhopper owns more than 50% of two oilfields, Sea Lion and Isobel Elaine, which are now estimated to hold 747 million barrels of oil and gas reserves

    Falkland Islands oil and gas producer Rockhopper Exploration Plc has announced that its net contingent oil reserves have doubled to more than 300 million barrels, and independent experts are now eyeing this as nearly billion-barrel basin.

  • Wednesday, May 18th 2016 - 12:21 UTC

    Petrobras: Temer pledges judicial independence and respect for prosecutors nomination process

    Temer told Globo TV he would maintain the tradition of nominating the candidate chosen by the corps of prosecutors

    Brazil's interim president, Michel Temer said he would continue a tradition of nominating a prosecutor general who comes recommended by peers, allaying concerns about judicial independence. Justice Minister Alexandre de Moraes, sworn in last week as part of Temer's new government, told the Folha de S.Paulo newspaper in an interview that the prosecutor general of Brazil could be selected at will by the president.

  • Wednesday, May 18th 2016 - 12:07 UTC

    Argentina forecasted to increase wheat area by 25% for a 15/16 million tons crop

    Argentina, the world’s 10th biggest wheat exporter, shipped 3.13 million tons of the grain in the first quarter of 2016 versus 1.53 million in the same 2015 period

    Argentine wheat exports more than doubled in the first quarter, government data showed, as farmers rushed to sell stockpiles ahead of an expected jump in plantings spurred by the open-market policies of new President Mauricio Macri. The surge in Argentine supply is hitting an oversaturated world market and putting downward pressure on wheat prices already near their lowest levels in six years.

  • Wednesday, May 18th 2016 - 11:53 UTC

    South Africa catches Chinese vessel suspected of illegally fishing; eight other fled

    The vessel, Lu Huang Yuan Yu 186, is one of nine that were spotted last week in South Africa’s waters.

    The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) is investigating a Chinese fishing vessel seized by authorities after it and eight others were suspected of illegally fishing in South African waters. SAMSA officials boarded the vessel on Monday for inspection.

  • Wednesday, May 18th 2016 - 11:39 UTC

    The Army must decide is they side “with the Constitution or with Maduro”, says Venezuelan opposition

    “I say to the armed forces: the moment of truth has arrived - to decide whether they are with the constitution or with Maduro,” Capriles told a news conference.

    The army in crisis-hit Venezuela has to choose whether it is “with the constitution or with [President Nicolas] Maduro,” opposition leader Henrique Capriles said on Tuesday.He made the statement to journalists after Maduro decreed a state of emergency broadening the powers of soldiers and police - and a day before opposition-led marches demanding a referendum to oust the president.