Stories for March 21st 2014

Friday, March 21st 2014 - 09:50 UTC
Unasur 'democratic clause' comes into force after ratification by Uruguay and Colombia

Any country that suffers an interruption to its democratic order will be automatically excluded from Unasur (Union of South American Nations), the bloc announced this week, after its “democratic clause” came into force and as Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro claimed that a US-funded campaign is trying to ouster him.
Friday, March 21st 2014 - 09:44 UTC
Cristina Fernández ends visit to France with references to Peron and De Gaulle

President Cristina Fernandez on the last day of her visit to France, and escorted by Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, inaugurated on Thursday Argentina's pavilion at the Salon du Livre in Paris, one of Europe's too cultural events, and also praised the long standing ties between the two countries and evoked leaders Juan Domingo Peron and Charles de Gaulle.
Friday, March 21st 2014 - 09:35 UTC
Falklands' veteran Simon Weston featured at the National Portrait Gallery

The National Portrait Gallery in London and the BBC unveiled their first joint painted portrait commission – of Falklands War veteran Simon Weston by artist Nicky Philipps. Weston was voted last September by viewers of BBC One’s The One Show as the public figure who most deserved to have his picture displayed at the National Portrait Gallery.
Friday, March 21st 2014 - 08:36 UTC
Major corruption probe into Brazil's transport system providers

Brazil's anti-monopolies commission announced on Thursday it had begun investigating allegations that transport providers, including several large international firms, had operated a price-rigging cartel for 15 years in major cities.
Friday, March 21st 2014 - 06:09 UTC
US and Paraguay to collaborate in combating organized crime

United States Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Roberta Jacobson said Washington is considering increasing cooperation with Paraguay in combating trans-national crime, particularly Brazilian organizations involved in durgs and arms trafficking.
Friday, March 21st 2014 - 06:05 UTC
Bolivian senate to vote full incorporation to Mercosur in April

The Bolivian Senate is expected to vote next month for the full incorporation of the country to Mercosur, thus complying with some of the last steps to join the group made up of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela.
Friday, March 21st 2014 - 05:56 UTC
Argentina's grain shipping blocked by vessel grounded in the Paraná

Argentina's river Paraná is blocked since early March when a Cypriot flagged vessel broke down with a 45.000 tons cargo of soybeans, thus holding back access of another eighty vessels waiting to load in Rosario and other ports in the heartland of the grains and oilseeds country.
Friday, March 21st 2014 - 01:20 UTC
Mujica confirms Uruguay will accept Guantanamo prisoners as 'refugees'

President Jose Mujica confirmed that Uruguay has agreed with the United States to accept some prisoners held in the much-criticized detention center at the US military base of Guantanamo Bay, but he also cautioned that “everything has a bill”.