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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, December 28th 2025 - 22:01 UTC

Latin America

  • Wednesday, May 6th 2015 - 06:55 UTC

    Pope Francis will receive Cuba's Raul Castro on private visit next Sunday

    “Raul Castro will be received in the morning for strictly private talks,” the spokesman said in a statement Tuesday.

    Pope Francis and Cuban President Raul Castro will meet privately on Sunday at the Vatican, a spokesman said, four months before the pontiff's trip to the Caribbean island, his first as leader of the Catholic Church.

  • Wednesday, May 6th 2015 - 05:49 UTC

    US approves licenses for passenger ferry service with Cuba

    “The ships are ready to go,” said Robert Muse, a Washington-based lawyer who represented Baja Ferries and specializes in Cuba embargo matters.

    The US Treasury Department has approved licenses for passenger ferry service between the United States and Cuba, a Treasury Department official announced. One of the licenses was issued to Baja Ferries, part of a major shipping group with passengers and cargo operations, including on Mexico's west coast, according to a lawyer who handled the license application.

  • Tuesday, May 5th 2015 - 17:38 UTC

    Brad Pitt invited to Ecuador to observe the 'pollution disaster” allegedly caused by Chevron

    Correa asked his government to launch a worldwide Internet campaign aimed to warn the Hollywood A-list actor Brad Pitt that he is being “used” by Chevron

    US cinema star Brad Pitt has been invited by the Ecuadorian government to observe the pollution in the country's Amazon region allegedly caused by Chevron. President Rafael Correa announced the invitation in his regular weekend report, saying that the oil giant is in preparation of spearheading a film with the movie star about an alleged case against the company.

  • Tuesday, May 5th 2015 - 09:25 UTC

    Chile asks World Court to throw out Bolivia's sea outlet claim: 'dispute has been settled'

    “Bolivia is challenging the stability of borders and sovereign territory solemnly agreed in a peace treaty signed 111 years ago,” said Felipe Bulnes Serrano

    Landlocked Bolivia went to the World Court on Monday, seeking to force Chile to negotiate the granting of a corridor of sovereign territory giving it access to the sea for its natural gas and mineral exports. Bolivia lost its coastal territory after being defeated by Chile in the 1880s War of the Pacific. Peru an ally of Bolivia also lost territory.

  • Monday, May 4th 2015 - 06:30 UTC

    Uruguay has the lowest corruption perception among Mercosur members

    The country figures among the 21 countries with less corruption perception at global level, according to TI

    Uruguay enjoys the lowest perception of corruption among Mercosur countries and also a privileged position at global level, according to the country's Transparency and Public Ethics Commission. The ranking was based on data from Transparency International and World Bank for the period extending from 2003 to 2014.

  • Wednesday, April 29th 2015 - 22:59 UTC

    Flexibility to discuss trade accords with third parties, Uruguay demands from Mercosur

    “We admit the problems our partners have, and are willing to wait, but in compensation we demand flexibility to agree with third parties”, said Astori

    Brazil's deteriorating economy and the recession tendency in Argentina, Mercosur main and largest partners, are influencing inter-group trade and the Uruguayan government is pressing for more flexibility that should allow it to negotiate agreements or understandings with third parties.

  • Wednesday, April 29th 2015 - 22:48 UTC

    Uruguay insists Mercosur must achieve “a free trade zone which effectively works”

    “To have Mercosur members 'sincere themselves', means complying with free movement of goods, services and production factors”, said Nin Novoa

    Uruguay again complained about the current stalled situation of Mercosur and called for members to 'sincere' themselves regarding the compliance of the original 1991 founding charter, and hopefully “we can at least reach the first stage of the chronogram: a free trade zone which effectively works and has not to bear the brunt of hurdles”.

  • Wednesday, April 29th 2015 - 08:40 UTC

    “Being Argentine, they thought I would call myself Jesus II” and not Francis

    President Correa met on Tuesday with the Pope and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon

    After meeting Pope Francis at the Vatican on Tuesday, the president of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, told his two million Twitter followers that the pontiff had spoken enthusiastically about his coming visit to the country and had even told him a self-deprecating joke about the Argentines.

  • Monday, April 27th 2015 - 22:48 UTC

    Paraguay and Uruguay ministers to discuss recovering paralyzed Mercosur

    Loizaga will be receiving Nin Novoa on Tuesday to address the current situation of Mercosur and consider options to get the group back on its tracks

    Following on the lead of Uruguay's new government, Paraguay has also demanded Mercosur returns to its roots and original objective with free circulation of goods and no obstructions of any kind or impediments such as tariff barriers. The five countries group has been paralyzed and negotiations for an encompassing cooperation and trade agreement with the European Union remain stalled.

  • Monday, April 27th 2015 - 21:29 UTC

    Giant 1.000 kilos manta ray caught by Peruvian fishermen

    The Manta Birostris is unloaded with a crane at La Cruz inlet

    A giant manta ray of approximately 1.000 kilos was caught by Peruvian unsuspecting fishermen operating at La Cruz inlet, north of the country close to the Ecuadorian border, according to Lima media. Erick Cruz Guerrero, 22 was the young crew member that finally captured the giant manta ray which had to be unloaded with a crane.