Mercosur

• Tuesday, December 1st 2009 - 07:33 UTC

  Paraguayan Senate “freezes” Venezuela’s Mercosur incorporation

  

  The Paraguayan Senate is also turning its back on Venezuela’s president Hugo Chavez Mercosur incorporation request. A leading Senator from the ruling coalition said that under current circumstances, and Chavez latest statements makes it “virtually impossible” to decide on the issue.

• Monday, November 30th 2009 - 11:51 UTC

  Mujica reaches out to the opposition and calls for political agreements

  

  Jose “Pepe” Mujica, 74, from the ruling Broad Front coalition was confirmed Sunday as Uruguay’s next president having defeated in the run-off 51.9% to 44.1%, Conservative candidate and former president Luis Alberto Lacalle.

• Saturday, November 28th 2009 - 07:28 UTC

  Mercosur/EU trade talks to resume next Monday in Portugal

  

  Mercosur countries are preparing a meeting with European representatives on the sidelines of the Ibero-American summit this weekend in Portugal to confirm their “interest” in reactivating trade negotiations with the EU, according to Spanish diplomatic sources.

• Friday, November 27th 2009 - 05:14 UTC

  Brazilian Senate further delays vote on Mercosur incorporation of Venezuela

  

  Former Brazilian president and head of the Senate Jose Sarney said that the upper house has no interest “for the moment” in casting a vote on the Protocol papers for the incorporation of Venezuela as the fifth full member of Mercosur.

• Thursday, November 26th 2009 - 07:53 UTC

  Spain promises tangible results from EU/Mercosur trade talks

  

  Spain wants to boost trade negotiations between the European Union and Mercosur when it takes over the pro tempore presidency of the block next January, according to Spanish diplomats quoted by Madrid’s main daily El Pais.

• Wednesday, November 25th 2009 - 10:01 UTC

  Brazil to scrutinize Argentine imports licences system

  

  Mercosur senior partners are again clashing over trade. Brazilian government announced that it will run an exhaustive study of all the non-automatic import licenses that President Lula da Silva’s administration believes cause nothing but Argentine restrictions on Brazilian products.

• Saturday, November 21st 2009 - 09:04 UTC

  Mercosur has top performing and worst performing presidents

  

  Two presidents from Mercosur countries figure among the leaders with the highest approval ratings in the Americas while the other two are at the opposite end.

• Saturday, November 21st 2009 - 05:43 UTC

  Lagos calls for dialogue with the US and admits disappointment with Mercosur

  

  Former Chilean president Ricardo Lagos called for a closer dialogue between Latinamerica and Washington while de-mystifying the alleged negative influence of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez in the region. He also admitted he expected “much more from Mercosur”.

• Wednesday, November 18th 2009 - 03:44 UTC

  Cristina and Lula da Silva meet to address bilateral trade conflict

  

  Argentina and Brazil presidents are scheduled to address trade disputes, Mercosur and other coming foreign policy issues when they meet Wednesday in Brasilia for their agreed regular contacts.

• Saturday, November 14th 2009 - 13:21 UTC

  Uruguay will abandon Mercosur if Lacalle is elected president

  

  Uruguay will definitively abandon Mercosur if Luis Alberto Lacalle is elected president in the run off on November 29th. Lacalle also forecasted that Mercosur as a customs union has not much time left, “it’s a dying organization”.