After enduring a full year of political and financial scandals involving former associates, this week Chilean president Ricardo Lagos administration has been forced to openly support Minister of Defence Michelle Bachelet who allegedly in the mid eighties was active in a terrorist group combating the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet.
Argentina will formally request next month before the Paris based International Office of Epizooties that the country be considered free of foot and mouth disease with vaccination.
The United States government had a record deficit of 252,6 billion US dollars during the first half of fiscal 2003 indicated the Treasury Department. March was the most significant month with a 58,7 billion deficit following an expenditure increase of 6,6% and a 6,1% fall in revenue.
The Chilean Navy will launch its surface fleet renewal program at the end of 2003 when a short list of two/three of the current eleven shipyards interested, will be chosen said Admiral Miguel Angel Vergara in Santiago.
Mercosur full members, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, plus Chile and Bolivia decided the creation of a Permanent Veterinary Committee with the purpose of harmonizing and joining efforts in the unification of sanitary conditions for the region.
With less than a week for the April 27 Argentine presidential election, the main public opinion polling companies in Buenos Aires don't dare a forecast since the four leading candidates are in a situation described as a technical draw, with none of them capable of attracting sufficient vote intention to definitively pierce through the 20% threshold.
The recently created United Nations sponsored International Criminal Court, ICC, meeting in New York unanimously elected Argentine lawyer Luis Moreno Ocampo as its first prosecutor.
The candidate of the ruling Paraguayan party Nicanor Duarte comfortably leads in the opinion polls for the coming presidential election next April 27 and the division among opposition factions is ensuring his victory according to local analysts.
The Falklands former Governor, Donald Lamont, has been appointed Britain's Ambassador to Venezuela. He will take up his new position in July having undertaken 'pre-post training' at the Foreign & Commonwealth office in London. He takes over from Dr. John Hughes who is looking for a new position.
The Venezuelan Government and opposition reached an agreement for the Calling of a revocatory referendum sometime after August 19 when President Hugo Chávez will have completed half of his six year term, announced Mr. Fernando Jaramillo head of the Organization of American States, OAS, delegation that is mediating in the extended civil and political conflict.