Stories for June 2013

Thursday, June 6th 2013 - 06:06 UTC
Brazil signs bill expanding private sector participation in the clogged ports

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff signed into law on Wednesday new regulations to make its ports more efficient and attract up to 12 billion dollars in investments as the country finally begins to tackle logistics bottlenecks hampering vast farm exports.
Thursday, June 6th 2013 - 02:13 UTC
U.S. and Venezuela agree to start dialogue to restore respective ambassadors

The United States is to start a dialogue with Venezuela aimed at restoring their respective ambassadors, US Secretary of State John Kerry has said. He was speaking after Venezuela freed and deported a US filmmaker who had been held on conspiracy charges. Mr Kerry welcomed Timothy Tracy's release as a “positive development”.
Wednesday, June 5th 2013 - 22:16 UTC
Good news for Chevron (and YPF): Argentine court revokes 19bn dollar embargo

Argentina's Supreme Court revoked a 19 billion dollar embargo on the assets and future income of Chevron Corp.'s Argentina subsidiary, giving the U.S. oil giant a victory in a decades-old battle with indigenous groups in Ecuador.
Wednesday, June 5th 2013 - 22:11 UTC
Argentina seizes Brazilian cargo railway concession arguing non compliance with contract conditions

Argentina expropriated a cargo railway concession from Brazil’s All America Latina Logistica, ALL, and a tourist train concession, citing non-compliance with contractual agreements. ALL operated the railways between Mendoza province and the Rosario port as well as the railway between Misiones province and the Buenos Aires port since 1999.
Wednesday, June 5th 2013 - 22:06 UTC
Brazil boosts agriculture budget by 18% to speed expansion of storage capacity

The Brazilian government announced that it is increasing the farm budget, including funds for subsidized loans by 18% to 136 billion Reais (approx 68 billion-dollars) mainly for improving the country’s insufficient storage capacity and new silos.
Wednesday, June 5th 2013 - 21:08 UTC
Russia temporary bans beef and poultry imports from three Brazil Marfrig plants

The Russian veterinary and phytosanitary service, Rosselkhoznadzor, temporarily suspended imports from two Brazilian beef slaughterhouses and one poultry processing facility on May 17, citing detection of listeria in shipments, according to processors involved.
Wednesday, June 5th 2013 - 19:21 UTC
Uruguay former president calls on Latam to advance in agreements with the US

“The time for rhetoric exercises has run out”, said Uruguayan former president Tabare Vazquez during a presentation before the Latin American Studies Association, LASA, in Washington where he emphasized the need for Latinamerican countries to advance in agreements with the United States.
Wednesday, June 5th 2013 - 18:50 UTC
Airline profits 20% higher than expected this year, anticipates IATA

Airline profits will be 20% higher than expected this year despite razor-thin margins, according to the industry's main representative body. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said increased demand was helping pack planes to record levels.
Wednesday, June 5th 2013 - 17:49 UTC
Uruguay ‘can’t ignore (Mercosur) reality’ and is applying for full Pacific Alliance membership

Vice-president and acting president Danilo Astori strongly defended the Uruguayan government’s intention of joining the Pacific Alliance, next to Chile, Colombia, Peru and Mexico, claiming that Mercosur has fallen into a state of ‘inactivity’ but also rejected point blank statements from Brazilian diplomacy contrary to such a move.
Wednesday, June 5th 2013 - 12:19 UTC
Two Chinese jiggers quarantined 12 kilometres off Montevideo following mysterious deaths

Two Chinese jiggers are in quarantine 12 kilometres off the port of Montevideo following the death of two crew members and the hospitalization of another two in separate incidents.