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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, April 24th 2024 - 08:10 UTC

Stories for May 4th 2018

  • Friday, May 4th 2018 - 09:00 UTC

    Argentine Peso tumbles 7.83% to US dollar; central bank raises rate to 33.25%

    The Peso tumbled 7.83% to 23 per U.S. dollar. It had hit 21.2 (23,5 in some banks) to the greenback on Wednesday. The central bank hiked the rate to 30.25% from 27.25% on Friday.

    Argentina’s central bank raised its benchmark interest rate by 300 basis points to 33.25% percent on Thursday, but the second steep rate increase in less than a week failed to stop the country’s peso currency from swooning to a record low. The local currency tumbled 7.83% to 23 per U.S. dollar. It had hit 21.2 to the greenback on Wednesday, the first trading day due to a holiday after the bank hiked the rate to 30.25% from 27.25% on Friday.

  • Friday, May 4th 2018 - 08:49 UTC

    EU parliament demands Venezuela elections be 'immediate suspended'

    The head of European diplomacy, Federica Mogherini: “We ask for a review of the electoral calendar based on an agreed and credible calendar”.

    The European Parliament voted on Thursday for the immediate suspension of the presidential elections on May 20 in Venezuela, considering that they do not guarantee any credibility for their lack of transparency and inclusion. In this way, the body and the representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Policy, Federica Mogherini, call for the restructuring of an electoral agenda in which there are no outlawed candidates and the necessary electoral guarantees are fulfilled.

  • Friday, May 4th 2018 - 08:38 UTC

    Falkland Landholdings: increase in production numbers and quality

    FLH General Manager Andrew Pollard in April attended the Merino Conference in Montevideo which also included a tour of farms and technology center

    An overall increase in production numbers and quality at Falkland Landholdings was reported by General Manager Andrew Pollard at the FLH Board meeting on March 27. Mr. Pollard in early April also attended the World Merino Conference held in Montevideo, an excellent opportunity to meet Uruguayan customers of Falklands' wool, sheep farmers from other countries and Peter Ackroyd, President of the International Wool Textile Organization, IWTO.

  • Friday, May 4th 2018 - 08:25 UTC

    Brazil's highest court limits privileges and “impunity” of federal lawmakers

    The protection known as “privileged standing” allows thousands of politicians to have cases against them tried in higher courts than a normal citizen would.

    Brazil's highest court voted on Thursday to restrict a legal protection afforded to federal lawmakers that critics say has resulted in impunity, as the country grapples with massive official corruption. The protection known as “privileged standing” allows tens of thousands of politicians to have cases against them tried in higher courts than a normal citizen would.

  • Friday, May 4th 2018 - 08:21 UTC

    Brazilian Agriculture minister formally accused of 2009 bribery scheme

    Prosecutor General Raquel Dodge filed charges at the Supreme Court against Minister Blairo Maggi

    Brazilian prosecutors filed charges against the country’s Agriculture Minister Blairo Maggi on Wednesday, accusing him of orchestrating a bribery scheme in 2009 when he was governor of Mato Grosso state. Prosecutor General Raquel Dodge filed charges at the Supreme Court, according to a written statement from the federal prosecutor’s office.

  • Friday, May 4th 2018 - 08:09 UTC

    Massive raid in Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay after money laundering ring suspected of moving US$ 1.6bn

    Federal prosecutors in Rio said that arrest warrants were issued for 53 people, mostly black-market money changers, including six in Uruguay and Paraguay.

    Brazilian investigators conducted one of their largest operations against graft ever on Thursday, targeting a money laundering ring linked to powerful politicians and businessmen that moved some US$1.6 billion through offshore accounts in 52 countries.