Latin America

• Tuesday, July 17th 2012 - 18:27 UTC

  MEP's surprised at Mercosur and Unasur drastic decisions on Paraguay

  

  The European lawmakers’ delegation said it was surprised with the drastic and quick determinations, with no right to defence or appeal, decided against Paraguay by Mercosur and Unasur, said Paraguayan Foreign Minister Jose Felix Fernandez Estigarribia, following a meeting in Asuncion with the visiting MEPs.

• Monday, July 16th 2012 - 23:59 UTC

  IMF cuts world growth forecast; Latam drops from 3.7% to 3.4%

  

  International Monetary Fund on Monday cut its global growth forecast and warned that the outlook could dim further if policymakers in Europe do not act with enough force and speed to quell their region's debt crisis.

• Monday, July 16th 2012 - 19:19 UTC

  Brazil loosing influence in South America to Venezuela, claims former president

  

  Former Brazilian president Fernando Enrique Cardoso said that his country is rapidly loosing influence in South America to Venezuela, following on remarks about the suspension of Paraguay from Mercosur.

• Monday, July 16th 2012 - 07:26 UTC

  Chavez praises defence cooperation with Argentina, making Mercosur a military power block

  

  President Hugo Chavez underlined the significance of the defence cooperation memorandum signed between Venezuela and Argentina which is part of “the necessary strategic integration of the armed forces in the framework of Mercosur and turning the block into a military power”.

• Monday, July 16th 2012 - 07:20 UTC

  Cuba says cholera outbreak in under control: 3 dead, 158 confirmed cases

  

  The cholera outbreak in eastern Cuba is diminishing and has not spread to other parts of the country, said the government on Sunday.

• Monday, July 16th 2012 - 07:11 UTC

  Paraguay optimistic about the OAS report and its repercussions

  

  Paraguay is optimistic about an Organization of American States resolution regarding recent events and the current situation in the country, despite strong criticism from other regional organizations such as Mercosur and Unasur.

• Monday, July 16th 2012 - 03:43 UTC

  Mining projects knock down Peruvian president approval ratings to new lows

  

  Peruvian President Ollanta Humala's approval rating fell to a fresh low in July, a year since he took office as concern grows over his handling of increasingly violent social conflicts, an opinion poll showed.

• Monday, July 16th 2012 - 03:29 UTC

  Royal Navy largest ship, HMS Ocean begins her Olympic deployment

  

  One hundred and fifty sailors and aircrew recreated the Olympic Rings on the flight deck of the Royal Navy's largest ship to mark the start of her Olympic deployment for the 2012 London Games.

• Monday, July 16th 2012 - 03:05 UTC

  Mercosur reduced to a group “of bear-hugging and kissing compañeros”

  

  The influential British business and politics magazine The Economist anticipates that following the latest decisions by Mercosur, the South American group has little if any future. The Economist argues that the mounting protectionism and the rule-breaking admission of Venezuela have fatally undermined a once-promising trade block.

• Saturday, July 14th 2012 - 07:46 UTC

  Venezuela/Argentina sign military cooperation in framework of Unasur Defence Council

  

  Venezuelan Defence minister Henry Rangel Silva and his Argentine peer Arturo Puricelli signed on Friday a cooperation agreement to further advance in the integration of the two armed forces in the framework of the Unasur Defence Council.