Stories for August 11th 2016

Thursday, August 11th 2016 - 17:53 UTC
Falklands discards air links with Argentina and iterates London pledge to support hydrocarbons development

The Falkland Islands government has made a public statement pointing out that the UK Government has been open and transparent with FIG about how it would like to improve the bilateral relationship with Argentina but ”has made it clear that this will not include negotiations on the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.”
Thursday, August 11th 2016 - 16:40 UTC
“Moment of truth” for Venezuela's standing in Mercosur

Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay are waiting to see what happens on Friday, 12 August, when Venezuela has to prove that it has complied with all the pending requirements to confirm its Mercosur full membership condition dating back to 2012.
Thursday, August 11th 2016 - 16:35 UTC
Venezuela's attitude not helping to resolve the Mercosur situation, claims Uruguay

“Venezuela is not helping much to resolve” the unprecedented situation of Mercosur, said Uruguay's foreign minister Rodolfo Nin Novoa in reference to Venezuela's self proclaimed presidency of the group and which is rejected point blank by Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay who consider the post vacant.
Thursday, August 11th 2016 - 12:57 UTC
Brazil running out of corn allows imports to supply pork and poultry sectors

A lower-than-anticipated domestic corn supply is pushing prices up, putting pressure on Brazil’s pork and poultry sectors, and forcing the government to intervene, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) said in its latest report.
Thursday, August 11th 2016 - 06:52 UTC
US to provide Argentina with 24 state of the art T6-C Texan II training aircraft

Argentina is in the process of purchasing 24 T6-C Texan II training aircraft from the United States, which will also be employed in border control and combating drugs. Apparently the operation has been approved by the US Defense Department and was one of several good news Secretary of State brought last week when he visited Buenos Aires.
Thursday, August 11th 2016 - 06:39 UTC
After nine years “Almirante Irizar” is ready for sea tests but faces a “muddy” problem

Argentina's Antarctic exploration flagship icebreaker “Almirante Irizar” is ready for the sea tests after nine years under repairs in the government's defense shipyard and hundreds of millions of dollars, but an unexpected last minute “muddy” impediment has surfaced.
Thursday, August 11th 2016 - 06:28 UTC
Bachelet forced to introduce reforms to Chile's private pension system

Under pressure from the public, Chile’s President Michelle Bachelet proposed changes to the most radical of all the economic reforms of former dictator Augusto Pinochet — the private pension system that inspired a wave of similar projects worldwide.
Thursday, August 11th 2016 - 06:14 UTC
Pacific Alliance members invite Uruguay to sign free trade agreements

Uruguay, a founding member of Mercosur has been invited by Pacific Alliance members Colombia and Peru to update and expand commercial agreements with the two countries and turn them into a free trade treaty, foreign minister Rodolfo Nin Novoa revealed during a hearing in Congress to analyze the current situation in Mercosur.
Thursday, August 11th 2016 - 04:52 UTC
Falklands air links and oil talks between UK and Argentina confirmed by Malcorra

Foreign minister Susana Malcorra confirmed on Wednesday that Argentina and the United Kingdom are holding talks, “moving to a more productive phase” which includes making progress towards new “air links between the Falkland Islands and third countries” plus the removal of “restrictive hydrocarbons measures”.