Mercosur

• Wednesday, July 30th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Paraguayan gov't denies knowledge of alleged plot against Castro

  President Luis Gonzalez Macchi said Tuesday that Paraguay's government has no knowledge of an alleged plan to kill Cuban leader Fidel Castro, one of the dignitaries invited to the Aug. 15 inauguration of incoming chief executive Nicanor Duarte.

• Tuesday, July 29th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  IMF releases 1,05 billion US dollars loan to Argentina

  The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed this Monday the third review of Argentina's performance under a seven-month, SDR 2.17 billion (about US$3.04 billion) Stand-By Arrangement, which was approved last January 24, 2003.

• Monday, July 28th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Much frustration and nil satisfaction

  The last Friday decision of the Brazilian Central Bank to cut the basic interest rate, Selic, from 26 to 24,5% seems to have frustrated businessmen and unions since it's not considered sufficient to revert growing unemployment and local demand contraction.

• Monday, July 28th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  World's major observatory in Chile

  Chile signed last week the loaning during the next fifty years of 42,000 acres in the north of the country for the building of the world's major astronomy observatory, an undertaking that will demand over 550 million US dollars.

• Monday, July 28th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Regional FAM alert

  A “regional alert” against foot and mouth disease was announced in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, at the end of a meeting of Agriculture and Livestock Ministers and experts from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile and Peru.

• Monday, July 28th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Majority favour extradition of Argentine military

  A majority of Argentines consider as “correct” the recent decision of President Nestor Kirchner to revoke the decree that impeded the extradition of Argentine military allegedly involved in human rights crimes.

• Sunday, July 27th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Cuba celebrates 50 years of revolution

  Cuban President Fidel Castro returned to Moncada Barracks in Santiago on Saturday to mark the 50th anniversary of the attack that set in motion the revolution that brought him to power in 1959.

• Saturday, July 26th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Notorious death squad leader arrested in Argentina

  The so-called “angel of death,” a notorious death squad leader who has become a sinister icon of Argentina's 1976-83 “dirty war” against leftists, was arrested here Friday pending possible extradition to Spain, official sources said.

• Thursday, July 24th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Kirchner: Bush gave me “unconditional” support for recovery plan.

  Argentine President Nestor Kirchner said Wednesday that he had received from U.S. counterpart George W. Bush “unconditional” support for his country's economic recovery and for the Argentine stance in negotiations with the IMF.

• Thursday, July 24th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil Commission Passes Reform Bill, Workers Protest

  In a victory for President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a Brazilian Congress commission passed a bill to cut public pension benefits on Wednesday after civil servants clashed with police in protest against the changes.