Mercosur

• Monday, August 19th 2013 - 13:12 UTC

  Uruguay calls on Mercosur to sign a free trade agreement with United States

  

  Uruguayan Vice-President Danilo Astori said Mercosur must decisively address the signing of a free trade agreement with the United States, but also admits that “opportunities must be built”.

• Friday, August 16th 2013 - 02:57 UTC

  Paraguay new president pledges ‘war on poverty’ and improved relations with neighbours

  

  Conservative businessman Horacio Cartes was sworn in as president of Paraguay on Thursday, amid slowly improving relations with South American neighbors, and Mercosur members, damaged by the 2012 removal of populist President Fernando Lugo, who was impeached on incompetence.

• Thursday, August 15th 2013 - 03:51 UTC

  Mercosur controversy, Cartes main challenge when he takes office on Thursday

  

  Most presidents and top authorities that will attend the inauguration of Paraguayan president-elect Horacio Cartes on Thursday morning arrived in Asunción on Wednesday and most of them have already held private meetings with the future leader of the country.

• Wednesday, August 14th 2013 - 03:03 UTC

  Paraguay new government will give priority to bilateral relations, later Mercosur

  

  The priority of the incoming Paraguayan government of president-elect Horacio Cartes who takes office on Thursday is to recompose bilateral relations with the region’s countries and from then on begin negotiations for the return to Mercosur, said Eladio Loizaga a veteran diplomat who on Tuesday was confirmed as future Foreign affairs minister.

• Wednesday, August 14th 2013 - 02:35 UTC

  Ecuador regrets Paraguay did not invite President Maduro to Cartes inauguration

  

  Ecuador regrets that Paraguay has not invited Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro (who is also currently president of Mercosur) to the inauguration of president Horacio Cartes next Thursday, 15 August, said Ecuadorean foreign minister Ricardo Patiño,

• Monday, August 12th 2013 - 18:10 UTC

  Brazil and Uruguay want a “two speeds” Mercosur agreement with the EU

  

  Brazil and Uruguay want to speed a trade agreement with the European Union but without abandoning Mercosur, and making it clear that they are willing to advance at “a different speed” than the rest of the group’s members, revealed a reliable source from the government of President Jose Mujica in Montevideo.

• Monday, August 12th 2013 - 18:06 UTC

  EU confirms no block-to-individual Mercosur member trade negotiation has been requested

  

  The 28-country European Union underscored the potential benefits of a free trade agreement with Mercosur and revealed that so far no country member of the group has requested to a bilateral negotiation.

• Monday, August 12th 2013 - 18:03 UTC

  Brazil urged for agreement with EU, since next year it will lose trade preferences

  

  Brazil, Latin America‘s biggest economy, is planning to try to negotiate a separate trade deal with the European Union, Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota said in remarks published Monday.

• Sunday, August 11th 2013 - 21:28 UTC

  Cristina Fernandez will attend Cartes inauguration in Paraguay; problems with Mercosur protocol

  

  Argentine President Cristina Fernandez confirmed by writing that she would be attending the inauguration of Paraguayan president Horacio Cartes next Thursday 15 August, according the organization committee of the event in Asuncion, Ambassador Federico Gonzalez and head of Protocol at the Paraguayan foreign ministry.

• Sunday, August 11th 2013 - 04:36 UTC

  Unasur lifts suspension pending on Paraguay effective 15 August

  

  The Union of South American Nations, Unasur, decided late Friday to lift the suspension pending on Paraguay, which will become effective next 15 August when president-elect Horacio Cartes takes office.