Mercosur

• Friday, July 5th 2013 - 23:41 UTC

  Bachelet and Longueira will dispute the Chilean presidency next November

  

  Chilean president Sebastián Piñera congratulated former president Michelle Bachelet and ex Economy minister Pablo Longeuira who emerged as winners in the two main coalition’ primaries held last Sunday, the first time such an event takes place in the country.

• Friday, July 5th 2013 - 23:35 UTC

  Brazil’s growth refuses to take off, despite all of government incentives

  

  Brazil’s industrial output fell 2% in May after jumping a revised 1.9% in April, the national statistics agency announced this week in Rio de Janeiro. The fall was greater than forecasted but still was 1.4% above a year ago. However as the government or President Dilma Rousseff struggles to fight inflation, the latest data complicates the strategy to prop growth.

• Friday, July 5th 2013 - 23:27 UTC

  Brazilians want ‘trial of the century’ jail sentences to be implemented immediately

  

  An overwhelming majority of Brazilians are demanding the immediate compliance of the criminal rulings which sentenced 25 high ranking officials in the so called ‘trial of the century’ for their involvement in corruption practices back in 2005 and which at the time almost toppled the administration of then president Lula da Silva.

• Friday, July 5th 2013 - 22:52 UTC

  Spain calls for calm over Bolivian plane incident, but anticipates ‘no apologies’

  

  Spain called for calm on Friday in a diplomatic row ignited when Bolivian President Evo Morales's plane was diverted because of suspicions that fugitive US intelligence ‘leaker’ Edward Snowden was aboard. However he anticipated there would be no apologies from Spain as South American countries are demanding.

• Tuesday, June 25th 2013 - 20:52 UTC

  Mercosur suspension was rather beneficial for Paraguay, reveals President Franco

  

  Mercosur partners’ sanctions on Paraguay rather benefited than hindered the country, said President Federico Franco during a press conference in which he underlined the country had become more reliable and this was supported by a three fold increase in foreign investments.

• Tuesday, June 25th 2013 - 20:25 UTC

  Paraguay claims Mercosur pro-tempore chair and thanks EU for political support

  

  President elect Horacio Cartes revealed in Spain that Paraguay is claiming the pro-tempore chair of Mercosur, argued that Venezuela is an ‘illegitimate’ member of the trade group and said Paraguay is en route to becoming full member of the Pacific Alliance.

• Monday, June 24th 2013 - 03:09 UTC

  Bolivia will hold double membership of Mercosur and the Andean Community

  

  Bolivia will join Mercosur without abandoning the Andean Community and will continue with negotiations for a cooperation and trade agreement with the European Union, announced in La Paz the Foreign ministers from Bolivia, David Choquehuanca and Luis Almagro from Uruguay which currently holds the group’s chair.

• Monday, June 24th 2013 - 03:07 UTC

  Paraguay not returning to Mercosur under current circumstances: demands compliance with rule of the law

  

  Suspended Paraguay will not return to Mercosur trampling on the institutions of the country or from the group, warned president-elect Horacio Cartes during an event at the Paraguay-US Chamber of Commerce. He emphasized that if there is no respect or abidance by the rule of the law, “we will remain as we are”.

• Saturday, June 22nd 2013 - 05:51 UTC

  Pacific Alliance in a “marketing success” and no concern for Mercosur, says Brazil

  

  The Pacific Alliance is a ‘marketing success’ and does not represent a concern for Mercosur since it does not have the potential for physical integration as other blocks from the region, said Brazilian Foreign minister Antonio Patriota during a congressional hearing this week in Brasilia.

• Saturday, June 22nd 2013 - 05:33 UTC

  Mercosur ‘good offices’ delegation in Paraguay to talk with president-elect Cartes

  

  Paraguayan president elect Horacio Cartes held a meeting on Friday at his home with former Chilean president Ricardo Lagos and the Ibero-American secretary general Enrique Iglesias to talk “about Mercosur issues and Paraguay’s suspension from the block”, according to sources close to the meeting.