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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, April 3rd 2025 - 08:04 UTC

Current Edition

  • Saturday, March 29th 2025 - 10:39 UTC

    No place for “chainsaw” policies in Chile, says Boric

    Boric highlighted his difference with the Argentine government and the Chilean opposition

    Chilean President Gabriel Boric Font, speaking at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) annual meeting in Santiago Friday, underlined the importance of long-term projects and institutional stability over short-term, drastic reforms like the ones implemented by his Argentine colleague Javier Milei, whom he was obviously referring to, since he used the Libertarian's “chainsaw” war cry, which US Department of Government Efficiency Chief Elon Musk has also echoed.

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  • Saturday, March 29th 2025 - 10:23 UTC

    Argentina: Skyrocketing food prices threaten gov't inflationary targets

    It is highly unlikely that Milei's administration can record a 2% inflation in March with food prices going up as they are

    Argentina is experiencing a sharp increase in food prices, complicating the government's goal of keeping inflation close to 2%. Private consulting firms report that food prices rose by approximately 3.2% to 4% so far this month, with total inflation projected to be between 2.4% and 3%. Key drivers include dairy and eggs (up 5.8%), meat (up 5%), vegetables (up 3.3%), and beverages (up 2.2%).

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  • Saturday, March 29th 2025 - 10:14 UTC

    Slight drop in unemployment in Uruguay and Chile

    February was Uruguay's last month under President Luis Lacalle Pou. Photo: Sebastián Astorga

    Uruguay's unemployment rate slightly decreased to 7.9% in February from 8.1% in January, according to a National Statistics Institute (INE) report released Friday. This represents a 0.2% drop month-over-month and a 0.4% decrease compared to February 2024, with approximately 150,900 people unemployed. The employment rate remained stable at 59.4%, while the activity rate saw a minor decline from 64.6% to 64.5%. It was President Luis Lacalle Pou's last month in office. Yamandú Orsi was sworn in on March 1.

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  • Saturday, March 29th 2025 - 09:05 UTC

    Covid-19 cases on the rise in Chile

    “A very strong risk communication campaign is needed to get vaccinated,” Paris underlined

    Chilean health authorities recorded 98 casualties attributable to Covid-19 between Jan. 1 and March 22, 2025, with a total of 5,191 confirmed cases. The fatalities were 76.5 years old on average with an almost equal distribution between genders, while patients with chronic conditions like hypertension or diabetes were affected the most.

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  • Saturday, March 29th 2025 - 08:48 UTC

    Brazil: Affirmative action reversing white predominance in positions of leadership

    White men still hold the largest share of leadership roles at 35%

    Black and indigenous representation in Brazil's Executive branch has risen to 39%, a 17-point increase over 25 years, a study titled ”Black Leadership in the Brazilian State (1995-2024)” (Lideranças Negras no Estado Brasileiro (1995–2024)” released Friday showed.

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  • Friday, March 28th 2025 - 23:40 UTC

    Italy tightens citizenship rules to curb 'commercialization'

    The decision comes amid a surge in citizenship applications. According to Tajani, the number of Italians abroad has increased by 40% in the past decade—from 4.6 million to 6.4 million.

    Italy’s government has approved a reform to restrict automatic citizenship by descent, citing concerns over the growing number of requests—especially from Latin America—and what officials described as the “commercialization” of Italian nationality.

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  • Friday, March 28th 2025 - 20:00 UTC

    Prosecution wants vax certificate case against Bolsonaro dropped

    There is not enough evidence that Bolsonaro ordered Cid to include false vaccination data in the Health Ministry's system, the prosecution argued

    Brazil's Attorney General Paulo Gonet requested the shelving of an investigation into former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's alleged fraud in his Covid-19 vaccination records. The prosecution concluded there was insufficient evidence to prove Bolsonaro instructed his aide, Mauro Cid, to falsify vaccination data in the Health Ministry's system, despite the former aide-de-camp claims in a plea bargain. As per Brazilian law, corroborating evidence is needed beyond a collaborator’s testimony.

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  • Friday, March 28th 2025 - 19:26 UTC

    Ecuadorean President's family linked to cocaine shipments to Europe

    The scandal unfolds as Noboa campaigns for reelection against González at the upcoming April 13 runoff, a rematch of when he was first chosen

    The banana producing and trading firm belonging to Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa's family has been linked to cocaine exporting to Europe, hidden in fruit shipments from the port of Guayaquil. Journalist Andrés Durán -known locally as “The Chochologist”- has fled the country due to death threats. He claims to have evidence against Noboa Trading.

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  • Friday, March 28th 2025 - 10:33 UTC

    Argentina secures $20B IMF deal, aims to boost Central Bank reserves to $50B

    Milei said there would be no devaluation because the problem is the lack of pesos, not the lack of dollars

    Argentina’s Economy Minister Luis Toto Caputo announced Thursday that the loan negotiated with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) amounts to US$ 20 billion disbursement from the IMF, which, in addition to further borrowing from the Interamerican Development Bank (IDB), the World Bank, and the CAF would leave the Central Bank's (BCRA) reserves around US$50 billion.

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  • Friday, March 28th 2025 - 10:21 UTC

    Current and former Uruguayan presidents celebrate democracy

    A meeting of former presidents of different political forces is “an extravagance,” Orsi noted

    José 'Pepe' Mujica underlined Thursday the importance of a country having the freedom to disagree. He made those remarks alongside former fellow Uruguayan Presidents Julio María Sanguinetti and Luis Alberto Lacalle Herrera, together with the incumbent Yamandú Orsi, during a Colorado Party ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of the South American country's return to democratic rule. Luis Lacalle Pou, who completed his term last month, made a video appearance while relatives of the late former Presidents Jorge Batlle and Tabaré Vázquez were presented with a distinction.

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