“While Cristina has to step down, he’s riding a motorbike” printed in the front page one of Brazil’s leading newspapers O Estado de Sao Paulo that caught Argentine Vice-president and now acting president a few hours before he was called back to Buenos Aires because of Cristina Fernandez medical condition.
Vice-president and caretaker president Amado Boudou has “the worst negative image” of the Argentine government, according to a leading pollster in Buenos Aires. Mariel Fornoni from Management & Fit made the statement only hours before Boudou, and according to Article 88 of the Constitution, signed as acting president for thirty days during the medical absence of Cristina Fernandez.
Argentine President Cristina Fernandez (60) will undergo surgery on Tuesday morning to remove an accumulation of blood in her skull (subdural haematoma) following a blow in early August, according to a statement issued by the hospital where she is being treated.
“There are no uncertainties or any weird things here, we just have to keep up with the performance”, said Argentine Vice-president and caretaker president Amado Boudou speaking on Monday from Government House a few hours after signing to replace Cristina Fernandez for thirty days while the head of state undergoes cranium surgery and a recovery period.
British Prime Minister David Cameron has kicked off a coalition reshuffle, with Scottish Secretary Michael Moore among the casualties. The Liberal Democrat's Cabinet post is being taken by the party's chief whip Alistair Carmichael, just a year before the crucial referendum on independence north of the border.
The FAO Food Price Index averaged 199.1 points in September 2013, 2.3 points (1%) below its August value and down 11 points (or 5.4%) since the beginning of the year. The decline in September marked the fifth consecutive decrease in the value of the index and was driven by a sharp fall in the international prices of cereals, whereas prices of all other components of the index, namely dairy, oils, meat and sugar, rose slightly.
Brazilian police poured into a dozen slum areas of Rio de Janeiro over the weekend continuing a drive to pacify the poor neighborhoods despite accusations of police brutality that have called the tactic into question.
The U.S. Supreme Court left intact a ruling that may force Argentina to make payments on defaulted government bonds, rejecting that country’s appeal in a clash that has roiled its financial markets. The justices, without comment, on Monday let stand a 2012 U.S. appeals court decision that bars Argentina from making payments on 24 billion in restructured debt unless it also pays owners of the earlier repudiated bonds.
Brazilian tourism officials say that the country has stepped up efforts to lure more foreign tourists as Brazil gears up to host 2014 World Cup. Tourist board Embratur said September had seen a major publicity push worldwide, including promotions at the just-ended Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) showcase in Tokyo, as well as across North America and Russia.
Environmentalist Marina Silva announced that she will not run for the Brazilian presidency in the 2014 polls, and instead will back Eduardo Campos, who will be the nominee for the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB).