Mercosur

• Friday, December 6th 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  Venezuela Conflict

  Lawmakers from the pro-government socialist Podemos (We Can) Party on Thursday asked Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to lead a call to early elections as a way to solve the country's growing social and political crisis.

• Friday, December 6th 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  Six South American Leaders Convene Summit

  Six South American presidents convened a summit of the continent's largest trading bloc Thursday, aiming to work out a timetable for a free trade agreement covering most of the continent.

• Friday, December 6th 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentina, Agriculture and Venezuela

  In a joint declaration, Mercosur presidents currently holding talks in Brasilia made a strong statement demanding an end to subsidies by rich countries and a fairer agricultural trade policies.

• Thursday, December 5th 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  IMF, Treasury Plan Latin American Visits

  Horst Koehler, the head of the International Monetary Fund, and Kenneth Dam, a top economics official in the Bush administration, will make separate fact-finding missions to Latin America starting later this week.

• Wednesday, December 4th 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  Lula in Chile insists with Mercosur

  Brazilian elected president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva emphasized his future government's commitment to Mercosur and insisted that Chile must strengthen its presence in the South American block.

• Wednesday, December 4th 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  “Norwalk” attacks again

  The Norwalk gastroenteritis virus that has been attacking cruise vessels in the Caribbean reappeared last Monday adding several hundred more cases to the toll of those prostrated by diarrhea and fever.

• Tuesday, December 3rd 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  Mercosur is the world's third-largest trade bloc.

  Brazil's president-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called Monday for deeper trade ties among members of South America's largest trade bloc to help ease economic turmoil engulfing the region.

• Monday, December 2nd 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  Joint Mercosur office in Berlin

  Mercosur opened this week its first joint overseas office in Germany, the block's second trading partner and the first from the European Union..

• Monday, December 2nd 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  Breaking News from Chile

  Headlines: Austral Brewery expands; Torres del Paine air charters; Corruption: far more than “isolated cases”; Exponaval 2002; Fisheries agreement; “Norwalk” virus attacks Disney

• Monday, December 2nd 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentine peso remains stable after banking restrictions lifted

  The Argentine currency remained stable Monday after restrictions on the withdrawal of some $5.7 billion in bank deposits were lifted.