Latin America

• Wednesday, June 18th 2014 - 08:31 UTC

  Uruguay economy growing at a slower pace: imports up; exports stagnant

  

  Uruguay's economy expanded 2.4% in the first quarter compared with the same 2013 period, but contracted 0.4% compared with the fourth quarter of last year, the central bank said this week. However deceleration is a fact since growth of the first quarter in 2013 has gone up 4.6% over 2012.

• Tuesday, June 17th 2014 - 07:15 UTC

  Argentina will pay 92% of restructured bonds, hopefully 100% of debt, but will not accept extortions

  

  President Cristina Fernandez pledged on national television late Monday that Argentina will abide and honor its debts, the 92% of those who trusted in the country and hopefully the 100% of creditors, but will not accept 'extortions'.

• Monday, June 16th 2014 - 07:22 UTC

  OAS congratulates Santos and underlines the democratic process in Colombia

  

  OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza, congratulated Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos for his re-election with an absolute majority of votes cast, which gives him a decisive popular mandate.

• Monday, June 16th 2014 - 07:04 UTC

  Santos and his promise of peace wins the run off in Colombia

  

  Incumbent President candidate Juan Manuel Santos was reelected by a margin of over 5 percentage points in the second round of Colombia's’s elections, defeating conservative Democratic Center candidate Oscar Ivan Zuluaga, who concede defeat and congratulated the winner.

• Monday, June 16th 2014 - 06:58 UTC

  Pacific Alliance wants to 'expand influence' through cooperation with other groups

  

  The Pacific Alliance will try to 'expand its influence' through agreements with other blocks to improve cooperation in different fields while targeting a “wider integration” in the region, said Mexico's Economy minister Ildefonso Guajardo. The Alliance is holding its summit this week in Punta Mita, Mexico when the chair of the group will pass from Colombia on to Mexico.

• Monday, June 16th 2014 - 06:46 UTC

  Merkel fully committed to reach an EU/Mercosur trade deal

  

  German Chancellor Angela Merkel assured Brazil on Sunday that she will do her utmost to bring to successful end negotiations for a cooperation and free trade deal between the European Union and Mercosur.

• Monday, June 16th 2014 - 06:32 UTC

  Irish farmers fear 'decimation' from a Mercosur/EU trade agreement

  

  The determination of European Commission President Manuel Barroso to conclude a deal with Mercosur before he leaves office posed a severe threat to Ireland's interest, Independent MEP Marian Harkin has warned in a piece reported by Irish Independent.

• Monday, June 16th 2014 - 06:26 UTC

  Cristina Fernandez and Mujica, so close but ever so distant

  

  The lasted chapter of the resurgent diplomatic conflict between Argentina and Uruguay was not addressed during a brief encounter of presidents Cristina Fernandez and Jose Mujica in Bolivia where they attended the G77 plus China summit over the weekend.

• Monday, June 16th 2014 - 05:52 UTC

  G77 plus China summit confirms the close ties of Beijing with Latin America

  

  The summit of G77 leaders plus China wrapped up Sunday with a call for an end to poverty by 2030, after a demand by Bolivia's President Evo Morales to eliminate the UN Security Council. It also marked the presence of Beijing which has become the leading trade partner of many Latam countries.

• Monday, June 16th 2014 - 05:38 UTC

  Support for Argentina's 'Malvinas question' in the G77 plus China summit

  

  The G77 plus China extraordinary summit which took place in Bolivia over the weekend approved two statements in support of Argentina's position in the 'Malvinas Islands question' and a second referred to the current conflict with holdout hedge funds, a long running litigation that has reached the US Supreme Court. Argentine president Cristina Fernández attended the Santa Cruz de la Sierra event.