Mercosur

• Thursday, May 11th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Oil prices would be stable if not for Bush

  The president of Venezuela, the world's fifth-largest oil exporter, called for stability in international crude prices, implying they should be lower than they are but blaming a near-constant rise on what he called war-mongering by the United States.

• Thursday, May 11th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Morales lines up land owners as next target

  Evo Morales, the Bolivian president, on Thursday ruled out compensating foreign energy companies that face changes to their contracts as a result of a controversial nationalisation policy announced earlier this month.

• Thursday, May 11th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Fox warns leftist policies will harm Latin America

  Vicente Fox, the president of Mexico, on Thursday delivered a salvo against the leftwing policies of Venezuela and Bolivia, warning that protectionism and nationalisation could damage the prospects of Latin America as a whole.

• Wednesday, May 10th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil tells Chavez: hands off the Southern Cone

  Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva warned Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez that “interference” by Caracas in the Southern Cone could jeopardize plans for a major gas pipeline, Brazil's foreign minister said Tuesday.

• Wednesday, May 10th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  FT criticizes Kirchner's confrontational (but popular) style

  The Financial Times this week harshly criticised Argentine President Nestor Kirchner warning that the effects of his style of government could have an enduring impact in future investments.

• Wednesday, May 10th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  US basic rate at highest level in 16 years, 5%

  United States Federal Reserve Open Market Committee decided Wednesday to raise its target for the federal funds rate by 25 basis points to 5%, its highest level in more than five years and in line with market expectations.

• Wednesday, May 10th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Human Rights Council must work in “global interest”

  United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour called Wednesday on the members of the new Human Rights Council, who were elected in a landmark vote Tuesday to work in the “global interest” and to act quickly ahead of the first meeting, set to start in Geneva next month.

• Wednesday, May 10th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Peruvian presidential candidate claims US involvement in campaign

  Peruvian ultra nationalist presidential candidate Ollanta Humala claims United States is involved in the upcoming runoff election June 4 openly helping his opponent former president Alan Garcia.

• Wednesday, May 10th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Electricity shortage looms over Uruguay

  Lack of sufficient rainfall and lesser regional solidarity is forcing Uruguay to save electricity and elaborate an emergency alternative that could include blackouts, according to the latest report from the country's government owned energy company UTE.

• Wednesday, May 10th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Divided Latinamerica arrives in Vienna summit

  A deeply divided Latinamerica and in the midst of several growing conflicts meets, beginning Thursday in Vienna, Austria, with the European Union 25 leaders in the framework of the two regions fourth summit.