
Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin met Friday with the European Commission's Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager to discuss the South American country's relations beyond the Mercosur deal, Agencia Brasil reported.

Foreign Ministers Francisco Bustillo of Uruguay and Santiago Cafiero of Argentina Friday agreed to broker a bilateral presidential summit between Alberto Fernández and Luis Lacalle Pou in April, during which a joint declaration is expected to be reached regarding recent agreements between the top diplomats.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva Thursday told his Paraguayan colleague Mario Abdo Benítez about his intentions to reorganize Unasur and reinforce Mercosur's unity. Lula and Abdo met at the Itaipu hydroelectric power plant in Foz do Iguazú.

Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou Wednesday said he was not very optimistic about the future of the trade deal between Mercosur and the European Union and that his lack of hope stemmed from both ends of the Atlantic, not just Brussels.

Uruguayan Customs authorities are to deploy three new state-of-the-art scanners for border control, Economy and Finance Minister Azucena Arbeleche announced Monday during the opening of the VIII Regional Meeting of the Global Container Program for Latin America and the Caribbean. The plan is an initiative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the World Customs Organization.

Presidents Alberto Fernández of Argentina and Mario Abdo Benítez of Paraguay met Friday at the former's Olivos residence to discuss a broad bilateral and regional agenda, including the current situation of Mercosur and the challenges facing the bloc under Buenos Aires' pro-tempore presidency.

Brazilian and Uruguayan officials have reached an understanding whereby the Rivera airport will become binational, a waterway will be developed, and a new bridge will be built over the Yaguarón river, it was announced after Tuesday's encounter in Brasilia featuring Foreign Ministers Francisco Bustillo and Mauro Viera, among other dignitaries.

Aerolíneas Argentinas will resume its direct route between Buenos Aires' largest international air terminal (Ezeiza) and Montevideo's Carrasco, which will serve as a feeder for Uruguayan travelers to board transatlantic flights to Madrid or Rome or other domestic and regional services to destinations such as New York, Cancun, Punta Cana, or Havana.

Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou Tuesday explained that many Argentines had decided to migrate and settle “across the pond” because his country was one that “generates certainty.”

The President of Uruguay, Luis Lacalle Pou, referred to the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China. In an interview with the Argentine radio program Alguien tiene que decirlo (Radio Mitre), Lacalle stated that negotiations with Chinese authorities are progressing. However, the processes of the Asian country advance at a “slower” pace, the head of the South American Government said.