Stories for May 2015

Saturday, May 16th 2015 - 07:58 UTC
Congress upsets Rousseff: votes to boost pension benefits

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff saw allies and members of her own Workers’ Party challenge her in Congress by voting in favor of boosting pension benefits.
Saturday, May 16th 2015 - 07:46 UTC
Levy tries to convince investors in London that Brazil slowdown is temporary

Brazilian Finance Minister Joaquim Levy said he expected the country’s economic slowdown to be temporary and that fiscal discipline remained central to ensuring the recovery as a commodity price boom waned. Addressing investors in London, Levy said fiscal discipline was needed to cushion the economy against the inflationary effects of the falling Real currency.
Friday, May 15th 2015 - 07:53 UTC
Uruguay convinced Mercosur will be more flexible regarding trade accords with third parties

Mercosur countries have reached a basic consensus to look for mechanisms that will allow individual members to negotiate trade agreements outside the block, announced Uruguay's foreign minister Rodolfo Nin Novoa, who has been leading a strong campaign (with Brazilian support) on the issue.
Friday, May 15th 2015 - 07:38 UTC
The project of a trans-continental railway, Atlantic to Pacific, with Chinese funds

Peru, Brazil and China are moving forward on a transcontinental railway that will cut across the continent, climb the Andes and connect port cities in the Pacific and Atlantic coasts.
Friday, May 15th 2015 - 07:32 UTC
Petrobras production from pre-salt fields reaches milestone 800.000 bpd

Brazil’s Petrobras said that oil production in Santos and Campos basin pre-salt fields reached a milestone production volume of 800Mbbl/d. The volume was recorded on April 11, with 74% (590Mbbl/d) Petrobras’ share with the remainder belonging to partner companies working in different pre-salt areas.
Friday, May 15th 2015 - 07:23 UTC
Brazil waiting for 50bn dollars of Chinese support to overhaul infrastructure

China will invest 50 billion dollars to help overhaul Brazil's aging infrastructure, the government announced on Thursday, ahead of an official visit by Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang next week. Brazil has repeated that it was determined to overhaul its dilapidated roads, railways, airports and ports.
Friday, May 15th 2015 - 07:15 UTC
Cristina Fernandez comes out strongly in defense of minister Kicillof

President Cristina Fernandez has questioned accusations against Economy Minister Axel Kicillof over his alleged YPF monthly salary of 400.000 Argentine Pesos (approx 35.000 dollars).
Friday, May 15th 2015 - 07:06 UTC
Scioli and Randazzo, the two hopefuls competing for Cristina Fernandez legacy

Buenos Aires province governor Daniel Scioli and Interior and Transport Minister Florencio Randazzo will be the only Argentine presidential candidates to compete in the coming August incumbent Victory Front, PASO primaries.
Friday, May 15th 2015 - 07:01 UTC
UN praise for Argentina's maternity and children's social protection schemes

Argentina has substantially improved its social protections for maternity and young children, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Friday, May 15th 2015 - 04:41 UTC
Exxon discovers oil off Guyana coast, in territory claimed by Venezuela

Exxon Mobil Corp has discovered oil off the coast of Guyana, the company and the South American nation's government said on Thursday, potentially inflaming a long-running territorial dispute with neighboring Venezuela.