Mercosur

• Saturday, May 27th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Agreement to promote high seas sustainable fishing

  Countries agreed Friday on a wide range of recommendations to promote sustainable fishing on the high seas as a conference to review the implementation of a landmark treaty on managing and conserving valuable fish stocks concluded at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

• Friday, May 26th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile welcomes French President Chirac

  There is something slightly forlorn about the French president, Jacques Chirac's four day visit to South America. Chirac, who is due to land in Santiago later today, Friday, is coming into the last year of his second presidential term.

• Thursday, May 25th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Venezuela begins incorporation process to Mercosur

  Venezuela signed Wednesday in Buenos Aires the protocol establishing the full incorporation to South America's main trade block Mercosur.

• Thursday, May 25th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  OAS head denies the region is “turning left or right”

  The Secretary General of the Organisation of American States Jose Miguel Insulza admitted tensions inside Mercosur but denied Latinamerican countries are increasingly divided over ideology.

• Thursday, May 25th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  UN proposes measures to limit illegal fishing

  Increased controls over ports and fishing vessels that could reduce illegal fishing were proposed by several countries Thursday at a United Nations conference that is reviewing a landmark conservation and management agreement on fish stocks.

• Thursday, May 25th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Humala closing in on Garcia in Peruvian runoff

  With just over a week for the Peruvian presidential run off (Sunday June 4), former president Alan Garcia is still ahead in vote intention but ultranationalist candidate Ollanta Humala is closing in, according to the latest public opinion poll released in Lima.

• Thursday, May 25th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Colombia's Uribe poised to be re-elected Sunday

  Next Sunday Colombians will be voting for president among six candidates with President Alvaro Uribe favourite and well ahead in the public opinion polls, which will possibly avoid a runoff June 18.

• Thursday, May 25th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Lan, best airline in Central, South America and Caribbean

  For the sixth time Chile's flag carrier Lan was named the best airline in Central and South America and the Caribbean according to the Official Airline Guide, the leading world guide in the airline industry.

• Thursday, May 25th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Paraguayans pay 50 US dollars per capita in bribes

  Paraguayans spent some 30 million US dollars in 2005 to bribe bureaucrats, police and other officials according to a watchdog NGO which claims corruption is a pervasive “reality” of the landlocked South American country.

• Thursday, May 25th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Ample support for Lula da Silva's second term

  Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva stands out as an undefeatable candidate for next October's election according to two of the country's most respected public opinion pollsters.