Mercosur

• Saturday, April 10th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina agrees to protect marine life.

  Argentina has agreed to bar harmful development along its 2,000-mile coastal zone, giving a new lease of life to its elephant seals and sea lions.

• Thursday, April 8th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Cuba divides Chilean ruling coalition.

  With 67 favourable votes, 18 against and 18 abstentions the Chilean Lower House condemned the Cuban regime of President Fidel Castro for its human rights policy.

• Thursday, April 8th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazilian president approval plunges 15 points.

  With mounting labour and peasant unrest public opinion support for Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva plunged 15 points in the first quarter of 2004 according to private pollster IBOPE.

• Thursday, April 8th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  A third of Argentine households supported by women.

  Women are the main support in 32% of Argentine households according to a poll taken by a private consultancy company with the purpose of assessing the consequences of the 2001/03 financial and social crisis.

• Thursday, April 8th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Venezuelan heavy fuel for Argentine cattle.

  Venezuela will receive 25,000 head of cattle from Argentina as part of the trade agreement signed this week in Caracas with the purpose of helping Argentina overcome the energy crisis.

• Thursday, April 8th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Lagos: ”It's his (Kirchner's) problem, not ours”

  Chilean president Ricardo Lagos further complained this Wednesday against Argentina for the cuts imposed in the natural gas provision to Chile and stressed that written commitments must be honoured in spite of the supply difficulties confronted by the neighbouring country.

• Wednesday, April 7th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazilian record trade surplus

  Brazil managed a 2,6 billion US dollars trade surplus last March, compared to a 1,54 billion US dollars surplus in 2003.

• Wednesday, April 7th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Falling inflation and unemployment in Chile

  Chile last March recorded a retail price index increase of 0,4%, the lowest since 1998 according to a release from the National Statistics Office.

• Wednesday, April 7th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentine gas crisis: formal Chilean complaint

  The Chilean government sent a formal letter of complaint to Argentina expressing its grievance over what it considers a breach of the 1995 Gas Integration Protocol, said this Tuesday Chilean Foreign Affairs Minister Soledad Alvear.

• Wednesday, April 7th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Menem says he won't return to Argentina to face charges.

  Claiming political persecution, former Argentine President Carlos Menem said he has no intention of responding to multiple summonses to appear in court in his country, but he denied he would ask for asylum in Chile.