Stories for March 31st 2014

Monday, March 31st 2014 - 23:20 UTC
Brazil remembers the 50th anniversary of the coup that led to 21 years of military rule

President Dilma Rousseff remembered on Monday, 31 March, those who died or disappeared fighting for the return of democracy in Brazil on the fifitieth anniversary of the miltiary coup of 1964, which lasted until 1985 and had full political support from the United States, at the time under president Lyndon Johnson.
Monday, March 31st 2014 - 19:42 UTC
Uruguay and Peru in line for a possible upgrading, according to Moody's

Uruguay and Peru are the first Latin American countries in line for a possible credit rating hike by Moody's Investors Service, at a moment when sovereign upgrades are expected to become more scarce in the region, a senior analyst with the ratings firm said.
Monday, March 31st 2014 - 19:28 UTC
Mercosur expects to exchange tariff-reduction proposals with EU next June

Mercosur expects to present a joint proposal regarding tariff reductions to the European Union during a meeting next June, according to Brazil's Minister of Development, Trade and Industry, Mauro Borges who apparently convinced a reluctant Argentina to join the group.
Monday, March 31st 2014 - 19:25 UTC
Brazil/Argentina agree on deal to promote bilateral trade by guaranteeing 'dollar liquidity'

Brazil and Argentina signed a deal over the weekend that seeks to guarantee importers will have enough U.S. dollars to pay for exports, a move to increase trade between both nations that has been hit hard by a sharp depreciation of the Argentine peso.
Monday, March 31st 2014 - 16:29 UTC
Japan abides International Court of Justice ruling to halt whaling program

The UN's International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled that Japan must temporarily halt its whaling program in the Antarctic. It agreed with Australia, which brought the case in May 2010, that the program was not for scientific research as claimed by Tokyo.
Monday, March 31st 2014 - 16:13 UTC
Latam forecasted to grow 3% this year, but fiscal deterioration is serious

Latin America and the Caribbean’s economy as a whole will grow by 3% this year and 3.3% in 2015 thanks to “improved economic conditions in the United States and Europe”, the Inter-American Development Bank said in a report released over the weekend.
Monday, March 31st 2014 - 15:53 UTC
“Black Sunday” for French Socialists, although they managed to retain Paris

French President Francois Hollande is set to take the axe to his beleaguered government after it suffered humiliating losses in local elections in which the far-right National Front (FN) made historic gains.
Monday, March 31st 2014 - 15:27 UTC
Argentina lobbies for Malvinas sovereignty claim in East Timor

A high level Argentine diplomatic mission visited last week Timor-Leste, in the Asia Pacific area to reaffirm close political, economic and cooperation links between the two countries, and confirm support for Argentina's demand for Falklands/Malvinas sovereignty negotiations with the UK.
Monday, March 31st 2014 - 13:02 UTC
Federal troops move into Rio favelas to secure access to Galeao airport

Brazilian police backed by troops occupied a massive favela next to Rio de Janeiro's international airport without firing a shot to secure one of the city's most violent neighborhoods long run by drug dealers.
Monday, March 31st 2014 - 12:01 UTC
Falklands reports record catches of Loligo and Illex squid

Falkland Islands is reporting record catches of Illex and Loligo squid this season. News first arrived last Sunday when it was announced that local jiggers had caught the highest daily catch and highest catch rate of Loligo squid since at least 2000.