MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguayan beef for Chile

The ban on Argentine beef, because of foot and mouth disease, has meant an immediate 10% increase in the price of Uruguayan beef in Chile.

Mr. Osvaldo Usaj distributor of Uruguayan beef in Punta Arenas said that the current situation should also have a positive impact for Magallanes cattle farmers since Santiago's demand will push prices up.

"Since 90% of Chile's beef imports are absorbed by Santiago, and most of it comes from Argentina, alternative countries such as Uruguay, and even distant cattle farmers in southern Chile will benefit", emphasized Mr. Usaj.

Mr. Usaj said that Punta Arenas receives every month three container trucks of top quality Uruguayan beef, "but we are not expecting a demand increase in Magallanes".

"However, Magallanes farmers should be ready to ship live cattle to the north, where demand is strong and prices are increasing", said Mr. Usaj.

Art in Punta Arenas airport

The new Punta Arenas airport passenger terminal will be decorated with three huge acrylic whales plunging in the sea, "representing the spirit of the most southern Chilean environment".

Magallanes Airport and Architecture Directors, Patricio Riquelme and Danilo Kusanovic indicated that the three whales depiction, each 16 meters long, was chosen among 23 works presented in a national artistic contest sponsored by the Ministry of Public Works.

"The winning plastic expression can be defined both as playful and organic, poetic and casual, with a monumental movement effect", said the members of the jury that selected the three acrylic whales.

The 23 works are currently on show in Santiago at the Solidarity Museum.

According to Mr. Riquelme and Kusanovic, the artistic decoration should be in place and finished by January 2002, in time for the inauguration of the passenger terminal. The Cavallo blitz "Domingo Cavallo confirmed President De la Rúa in his cabinet", ironically cracked Argentine Congressmen, following Mr. Cavallo's designation as Minister of Economy and immediate announcement of a blitz plan to end Argentina's 33 month recession.

But that is as far as most Congressmen dared because the first section of Mr. Cavallo's "Competitiveness Bill" was voted by an ample majority of the ruling alliance and Peronist opposition, in spite of personal long rooted enmities with the new Minister.

The first half of the