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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, May 3rd 2024 - 11:06 UTC

Politics

  • Friday, December 13th 2013 - 13:04 UTC

    Brazil to lower economy stimulus beginning with subsidized credit lines

    The ever optimistic Mantega said the Brazilian economy was on the path to recovery

    Brazil will raise interest rates on some state-subsidized credit lines in 2014 withdrawing part of the stimulus that helped boost investments but also hurt public finances this year. Interest rates on loans for the purchase of capital goods and trucks will climb to 6% per year, from 4%, while a special credit line for exports will climb to 8% from 5.5%.

  • Friday, December 13th 2013 - 12:57 UTC

    Argentina surprised by EU request to delay another month trade negotiations with Mercosur

    Capitanich making the early morning announcement

    The European Union has asked for a one-month delay in the exchange of proposals to kick off free-trade negotiations with Mercosur, Argentine Cabinet Chief Jorge Capitanich confirmed on Thursday. The news was first reported by Sao Paulo newspapers on statements from Brazilian Foreign minister Luiz Fernando Figuereido.

  • Friday, December 13th 2013 - 12:30 UTC

    Francis calls for more wealth-sharing among people and nations to narrow rich/poor gap

    “The succession of economic crises should lead to a timely rethinking of our models”

    Pope Francis attacked mega-salaries and big bonuses saying in the first peace message of his pontificate that they are symptoms of an economy based on greed and inequality

  • Friday, December 13th 2013 - 12:18 UTC

    Spain not sure about success in legal challenge of Gibraltar waters

    García-Margallo said sovereignty is “a conversation for grown-ups”

    Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel García-Margallo has expressed confidence that Madrid would win a legal case over jurisdiction of Gibraltar’s isthmus, though he was less certain about success in any challenge over the waters. He said the isthmus was not ceded to Britain under the Treaty of Utrecht and “illegally” occupied, but that Spain had yet to decide whether to “legally reclaim it or not”.

  • Friday, December 13th 2013 - 12:13 UTC

    'Abstention' the main challenge for Chilean presidency election run-off on Sunday

    Bachelet or Matthei, but with how much support?

    Chileans are set to head to the polls this Sunday to choose their next president, but experts fear much more than half the electorate will opt not for Michelle Bachelet or Evelyn Matthei, but to stay at home on election day instead. The election’s first round, held Nov. 17, saw the debut of the voluntary voting system in Chilean presidential elections and a turnout of 6.7 million, half-a-million-votes less than were counted in 2010, when voting was still mandatory for those on the electoral role.

  • Friday, December 13th 2013 - 09:20 UTC

    Another UK bank fined for ignoring rules and working with black-listed countries

    In a statement, RBS said it “acknowledges and deeply regrets these failings”.

    Royal Bank of Scotland has been fined 100 million dollars by US regulators for violating US sanctions against Iran, Sudan, Burma, and Cuba. The settlement follows from a 2010 internal investigation by RBS into its historical US dollar payment processes and controls. The violations took place between 2005-09, the US Treasury said.
    In a statement, RBS said it “acknowledges and deeply regrets these failings”.

  • Friday, December 13th 2013 - 09:04 UTC

    Mexico breaks 75-year myth: opens energy sector to private and foreign investment

    There were scuffles during the all night debate but the bill was finally by an overwhelming majority vote

    Mexico's Congress approved on Thursday early morning a historic energy reform aimed at luring foreign investment and ending the state's 75-year-old oil monopoly following a heated debate. After a marathon session that lasted nearly 24 hours, the lower house voted 353 to 134 for the legislation championed by President Enrique Peña Nieto, one day after it passed the Senate.

  • Friday, December 13th 2013 - 09:01 UTC

    Congress and White House agree on budget bill which should end clashes

    “An important moment of bipartisan cooperation and shows Washington can and should stop governing by crisis”, said the White House

    The US House of Representatives has approved a two-year federal budget bill in a strong showing of cross-party support, further avoiding the specter of another government shutdown. The measure, written by the Republican and Democratic heads of the House and Senate budget committees respectively, was approved by a 332-94 vote.

  • Friday, December 13th 2013 - 08:52 UTC

    FAO food price index in November unchanged: dairy up 23% over a year ago

    Demand for milk powder, especially from China, remained strong and processors focused on this product rather than on butter and cheese.

    The FAO Food Price Index averaged 206.3 points in November 2013, almost unchanged from the revised value of 206.6 points in October, but 9.5 points (4.4%) below its November 2012 value. A sharp decline in sugar prices last month nearly offset the rise in oils. Cereals averaged slightly lower but meat and dairy values were stable.

  • Friday, December 13th 2013 - 08:47 UTC

    Keeping up with inflation in Argentina: after calming police, who's next in the queue

    Widespread looting in most of the provinces where police protested in demand of higher salaries

    Police protests and widespread looting in 19 of the 24 Argentine provinces has, in a few weeks, shattered expectations about the new cabinet of President Cristina Fernandez and a stabilization of the economy, since as can be anticipated government employees and unions will be demanding similar conditions as their blue uniformed colleagues to keep up to date with inflation, running at an annualized 26% according to the November reading.