Mercosur

• Sunday, May 4th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Paraguayan elected president pressed to take office.

  Paraguayan leaders of the ruling party and the opposition have requested elected president Nicanor Duarte to advance the taking office date and replace outgoing caretaker president Luis González Macchi, who's described as the “negligent president”.

• Sunday, May 4th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Chilean tourism industry recovering.

  After two successive negative summer seasons the number of tourists visiting Chile during the first quarter of 2003 increased 2,7% over the same period in 2002 according to the latest release from the Chilean National Tourism Service. The increase represented a 5% expansion in income equivalent to 20 million US dollars.

• Saturday, May 3rd 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Menem names his potential Cabinet.

  Economy, Carlos Melconián; Foreign Relations, Jorge Castro; Defence, Pablo Rojo; Education, Juan Tobías; Health, Alejandro Matera; Interior... could it be Adolfo Rodríguez Saá?

• Saturday, May 3rd 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina floods kill 16; 100,000 evacuated.

  The worst flooding to hit Argentina's farming heartland in memory has killed 16 people and forced 100,000 from their homes -- with some evacuees taking shelter in cemetery crypts -- officials said on Friday.

• Friday, May 2nd 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Daughter of Argentine tycoon kidnapped

  Florencia Macri, 19, the youngest daughter of Argentine industrial magnate Franco Macri, was kidnapped here by abductors demanding $1.5 million in ransom, police officials said Thursday.

• Thursday, May 1st 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Orthodox Lula pushed reforms.

  After a stern warning to the most radical Congressional members of his own party, Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva personally delivered in Congress two reform bills that are crucial for his administration and the long term financial stability of Brazil.

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

  Kirchner: I'm my own man.

  Argentine presidential candidate Nestor Kirchner pointed out in interviews with the main newspapers of the country that support from the ruling President Eduardo Duhalde administration will not represent “any conditioning or pressure” if he's finally victorious in the May 18 run off.

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

  US-Chile trade agreement on hold.

  Chilean Foreign Minister Soledad Alvear said in Santiago on her return from Washington that the free trade agreement reached with the United States will be signed and approved, however she also admitted that US Secretary Colin Powell indicated there was no definitive date for the event.

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

  Latinamerica expected to grow 2% in 2003.

  Latinamerica economy is forecasted to grow 2% in 2003 given the improvement in world trade conditions, easier access to credit and the significant improvement of the Argentine economy, according to the latest release from the United Nations Economic Commission on Latinamerica, Cepal.

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

  Argentine polls depict “Anybody but Menem” sentiment.

  Though he took a plurality in the first round of presidential elections, former leader Carlos Menem is rejected by a large majority of Argentines as undeserving of another term and stands little chance in the upcoming runoff, polls indicated Wednesday