Latin America

• Friday, April 25th 2014 - 10:24 UTC

  Despite all, Mercosur is “working normally”, says Paraguayan foreign minister

  

  Paraguay's foreign minister Eladio Loizaga said that there is no date for the several times suspended Mercosur summit, but a technical meeting is scheduled for next week in Montevideo when the issue, among others will be addressed. Nevertheless he insisted that the different bodies of Mercosur “are working normally”.

• Friday, April 25th 2014 - 06:11 UTC

  Uruguayans don't approve the marihuana bill, but are prepared to give it a chance, says poll

  

  A majority of Uruguayans (64%) are against the bill that legalizes growing and selling marihuana, but 51% are willing to wait and see if the system works before having it rejected, according to the latest public opinion poll released on Thursday. The bill was passed in parliament last December but only with the support from the ruling coalition.

• Friday, April 25th 2014 - 05:41 UTC

  Mantega confident that this year the 'the villain factor' in inflation is contained

  

  Ever-optimistic Brazilian Finance Minister Guido Mantega said a recent rise in consumer prices was expected, ('there's always a villain factor pushing inflation')' anticipating that in May/June the index will be lower. Mantega also denied local news reports that the government was seeking a change in the index methodology as a way to eliminate the impact of volatile food prices.

• Friday, April 25th 2014 - 05:36 UTC

  Latin America's fast growing decade is coming to an end, anticipates IMF report

  

  The IMF’s Regional Economic Outlook for the Western Hemisphere, released on Thursday in Lima, Peru, projects regional growth of 2½ percent in 2014, down from 2¾ percent in 2013. Weak investment and subdued demand for the region’s exports held back activity in 2013, as did increasingly binding supply bottlenecks in a number of economies. For 2015, the IMF projects a modest pickup, to 3%.

• Thursday, April 24th 2014 - 07:59 UTC

  China making inroads into Brazilian trade with Argentina, says CNI

  

  Argentina's economic situation has hit Brazil harder than its other commercial partners, as China has been making inroads into Brazilian trade with Argentina. Chinese exports to Argentina have more than tripled in the last ten years, according to a study carried out by Brazil's National Confederation of Industry, (CNI).

• Thursday, April 24th 2014 - 07:10 UTC

  Paraguay moving closer to Pacific Alliance; expects invitation for summit in Mexico

  

  A top Paraguayan official will be travelling to Colombia to establish 'closer links' with the Pacific Alliance and advance with the country's full membership request. Paraguay currently with observer status is also waiting for the official invitation to participate in the Pacific Alliance summit scheduled for 22 June in Mexico.

• Thursday, April 24th 2014 - 07:05 UTC

  Argentine broad front opens possibility of runoff dispute in 2015 presidential election

  

  Political analyst Rosendo Fraga believes that with the integration this week of the Broad Front, Argentina in the 2015 presidential elections in the hypothetical case of a runoff, would experience a dispute not between two Peronists options, as opinion polls have indicated to far, but with a non Peronist alternative.

• Wednesday, April 23rd 2014 - 05:23 UTC

  Internet governance to be debated at the Net Mundial conference in Brazil

  

  US Commerce Department's decision to ease its governance over the Internet and open it up to other countries will be the subject of much debate in Brazil starting Wednesday. Government representatives from around the world are heading to Sao Paulo for Net Mundial, a two-day meeting to discuss how the future of Internet governance will be handled.

• Tuesday, April 22nd 2014 - 07:06 UTC

  Protested controversial photo show of Nestor Kirchner opens in Montevideo

  

  A great pictures exhibition of former Argentine president Nestor Kirchner to be opened on Tuesday in Montevideo's Town Hall has triggered strong criticisms from the opposition which claims there was no request to the elected councilors for such an event, which is sponsored by the Argentine embassy.

• Tuesday, April 22nd 2014 - 06:26 UTC

  Brazil and Argentina clash over auto-export restrictions; top level mission heads for Buenos Aires

  

  A high level Brazilian government delegation is scheduled to arrive in Buenos Aires on Tuesday to discuss the 'urgent' re-opening of the Argentine market for Brazilian auto exports that have dropped 32% since the beginning of the year because of unilateral decisions from the administration of president Cristina Fernandez.