Mercosur

• Friday, May 16th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina thanks Uruguay.

  In a brief 24 hours visit to neighboring Uruguay, Argentine caretaker president Eduardo Duhalde who will be leaving office next May 25, thanked the Uruguayan government for all the support given to Argentina, “when we were a step away from the abyss”. Mr. Duhalde also admitted that the Argentine crisis had a negative influence for the Uruguayan economy, but now the “positive ripples” from Argentina will reflect in Uruguay.

• Friday, May 16th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Mercosur-EU discussions.

  The European Union and Mercosur will be exchanging this Friday the additional trade liberalization proposals that were requested following the last round of talks held in March.

• Friday, May 16th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Mercosur - US 4+1 talks.

  The presidents of Uruguay, Jorge Batlle and Argentina, Eduardo Duhalde coincided in the need of a stronger regional integration, starting with a reinvigorated Mercosur that could open the way for trade discussions with United States following the 4+1 model.

• Thursday, May 15th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Kirchner president and Menem appeals for unity.

  For the first time ever a Patagonian born is Argentina's next president. Santa Cruz province governor Nestor Kirchner will be taking office May 25 after former president Carlos Menem finally explained in a national broadcast at prime time why he has stepping down from the May 18 run off, but certainly not abandoning politics.

• Thursday, May 15th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Opposition is born.

  Promising a “constructive opposition”, Mr. Ricardo López Murphy who has emerged as the most important non Peronist figure in current Argentine politics, took advantage of the political vacuum created by Mr. Menem's long meditated decision to step down from the presidential run off and was extremely critical of the former president and caretaker president Eduardo Duhalde.

• Thursday, May 15th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil welcomes Kirchner as Argentina's next president.

  Brazil is pleased that Nestor Kirchner will be Argentina's next president and hopes that with him as leader, the two nations' bilateral “strategic alliance will advance considerably,” Foreign Minister Celso Amorim said here Thursday.

• Wednesday, May 14th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  “I won't let you down”

  After a full day of hectic activity and insistent rumors about former Argentine president Carlos Menem abandoning this next Sunday's (May 18) presidential run off against favorite Nestor Kirchner, Mr. Menem appeared on Tuesday midnight and promised supporters “I won't let you down; go and rest, tomorrow is a new day”.

• Wednesday, May 14th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Paraguayan president short of Congressional majority

  Mr. Nicanor Duarte was officially proclaimed this week by the Paraguayan Electoral Tribunal as the country's next president following the results of the April 27 general elections.

• Wednesday, May 14th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazilian industry growth flat .

  Brazilian industry experienced last March its greatest drop in sales in eight years according to the latest release from the National Confederation of Industry, CNI. The report indicates that the fall was equivalent to 11,82% compared to February.

• Monday, May 12th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Anti-Menem vote consolidates,

  As a robust anti-Menem tendency seems to consolidate in the Argentine electorate, front runner in the presidential election Nestor Kirchner confessed this weekend to the Buenos Aires press that in his wildest dreams he never expected to become president in 2003.