Mercosur

• Wednesday, December 11th 2013 - 04:09 UTC

  Alejandro Betts, technical advisor of Tierra del Fuego Malvinas Observatory

  

  The Tierra del Fuego Malvinas Question Provincial Observatory Advisory Council held its last meeting of the year at the Malvinas Foundation building and among other issues named former Falklands Islander Alejandro Betts as Technical Advisor to the Observatory.

• Wednesday, December 11th 2013 - 04:01 UTC

  Cristina Fernandez blasts police: “I don't believe in coincidence nor in contagious events”

  

  Marking the 30th anniversary of the return of democracy to Argentina, President Cristina Fernández referred to the wave of lootings across the country and police force protests, and stated that “they were no coincidence”, during a rally from the Government House in Buenos Aires on Tuesday evening.

• Tuesday, December 10th 2013 - 22:49 UTC

  IMF extends Argentina a new deadline for CPI and GDP statistics

  

  Directors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced on Monday that they will give Argentine authorities an extended deadline in order to improve upon disputed national statistics, giving the nation until March 2014 to make the necessary changes.

• Tuesday, December 10th 2013 - 22:45 UTC

  Record wheat crop in Brazil's main producitn state of Rio Grande do Sul

  

  Brazil's most southern state, Rio Grande do Sul is consolidating as the country's main producer of wheat with a record crop from the current harvest of 2.91 million tons, breaking the 2011 record of 2,74 million tons, according to the latest report from Emater, the country's rural extension department.

• Tuesday, December 10th 2013 - 22:41 UTC

  Argentina's police strike and looting: a blend of inflation, corruption, impunity and social division

  

  The rash of looting and rioting which has spread to most of Argentina's provinces as the police went on strike or protest demanding better pay and working conditions has taken the political system by surprise, which has been slow in reacting to the gravity of the situation.

• Tuesday, December 10th 2013 - 06:11 UTC

  Argentina fears more massive protest and looting on anniversary of 2001 economy meltdown

  

  While facing the challenge of police unrest that has spread to half of the Argentine provinces the government of President Cristina Fernandez is designing a plan to counter the threat of further rioting and looting on 20 December, the anniversary of the worst day of the 2001 crisis which forced the resignation of then elected president Fernando de la Rúa and was followed by the largest sovereign debt default in Argentine history.

• Tuesday, December 10th 2013 - 06:07 UTC

  Paraguayan Senate ready to vote incorporation of Venezuela to Mercosur

  

  The Paraguayan Senate is expected to vote this Tuesday the incorporation of Venezuela to Mercosur as full member in an extraordinary meeting, according to Senator Julio César Velázquez from the ruling party. To have the Venezuelan protocol approved 23 out of 45 Senators have to lift their hands, but according to previous surveys only 15 are expected to dissent.

• Monday, December 9th 2013 - 19:04 UTC

  As protests spread, Argentine government yields to police forces demands

  

  The Argentine police crisis in demand for higher salaries and better working conditions and which prompted protests and further lootings in several provinces last week and during the weekend rapidly spread on Monday to other districts.

• Monday, December 9th 2013 - 16:57 UTC

  Election confirms Venezuelan remains split and with no reconciliation on sight

  

  Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro declared victory in municipal elections as his ruling Socialists won a majority of votes nationwide on Sunday, even though they lost to the opposition in five key cities. He also pledged to deepen his “economic offensive” to force businesses to cut prices, which was a turning point in his campaign.

• Monday, December 9th 2013 - 14:09 UTC

  Chilean presidential debate first round favors under-dog Matthei

  

  Evelyn Matthei of the right-wing Independent Democratic Union (UDI) and Michelle Bachelet of the left-leaning Socialist Party (PS) partook in their opening head-to-head presidential debate, as for the first campaign in Latin American history two women compete against each other in a presidential election second round.