A Brazilian expert foresees that the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) and the European Union (EU) will represent a 5.1% increase in commerce with the bloc that is already South America's largest country's second-largest partner, behind China, Agencia Brasil reported. These projections would mean a 0.34% rise in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the sum of goods and services produced in the country.
Aerolíneas Argentinas and LATAM Airlines signed a key agreement for codeshare flights and reciprocity within their fidelity programs, thus resulting in arguably the largest alliance in South America. The understanding allows the sale of tickets on domestic and regional routes between both companies in addition to the accrual and redemption of miles, thus benefiting 48 million LATAM Pass members and more than 4 million Aerolíneas Plus members.
Panamian President José Raúl Mulino Friday signed his country's accession to the Southern Common Market as an associate State during the bloc's 65th Leaders Summit in Montevideo, on the sidelines of which the finalization of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU) was also announced.
An undercarriage failure resulted in a Transporte Aéreo Boliviano (TAB) McDonnell-Douglas freighter blocking the only runway at Santa Cruz de la Sierra's Viru Viru International Airport early Thursday. It was not until way past dawn that operations went back to normal. In the meantime, most flights were diverted to Asunción (Paraguay).
Colombian President Gustavo Petro Thursday decorated Uruguay's former head of State José Pepe Mujica with the Order of Boyacá for his commitment to regional peace. The ceremony was held at Mujica's residence in Rincón del Cerro, on the outskirts of the country's capital, where the 89-year-old leftwing leader welcomed a group of his supporters.
Peruvian media have reported on the alleged interest of the United States in funding the southern port of Corío, in Arequipa, to match the Chancay Megaport opened in northern Lima last month and built with China's support. However, there are still administrative and technical challenges to overcome before Corío can consolidate itself as a direct competitor in international trade.
Latin American (LatAm) countries rely primarily on their agriculture and mining sectors, using the vast arable lands and mineral-rich resources to develop their economies. The region has a population of over 665 million and a GDP of $6 trillion. This growing market is ripe for technological development that investors can benefit from.
Bolivia's Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) Tuesday sentenced former President Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada (1993-1997 and 2002-2003) to 6 years in jail for signing numerous oil contracts without parliamentary approval. The 94-year-old former head of State resides in the United States and it remains to be seen whether he can be extradited.
Montevideo will host the XLV Mercosur Summit on 5-6 December, bringing together South American leaders to discuss pressing regional issues. Outgoing Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou will chair the meeting, along with Argentina's Javier Milei, Brazil's Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Paraguay's Santiago Peña. Uruguay's President-elect Yamandú Orsi will also attend.
Governor Jorge Flies of the Chilean Magallanes and Antarctica Region announced a project to build an underwater tunnel linking the mainland with Tierra del Fuego, an initiative from which Argentina would also benefit. The proposal submitted during a National Conference on Policies for Extreme Zones in Chile seeks to replace the current barge 3.7 kilometers crossing through the Strait of Magellan. The 4-kilometer submarine tunnel would entail a US$1.5 billion investment.