Mercosur

• Thursday, January 12th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Latam trade surplus with US down in October

  Latin America and the Caribbean trade surplus with United States fell 10.7% last November compared to October totalling 8.7 billion US dollars reported the U.S. State Department.

• Thursday, January 12th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Morales and Washington “willing” to dialogue

  Bolivian elected president Evo Morales said he forgives the United States government for all the humiliations and accusations launched against his country and emphasised he was willing to dialogue with Washington.

• Thursday, January 12th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Uruguay denies works in free trade accord with US

  Uruguay Foreign Affairs minister Reynaldo Gargano vehemently denied Thursday that the Uruguayan government was advancing in a controversial free trade agreement with United States.

• Thursday, January 12th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Chile: Latest poll shows Bachelet 5 points ahead

  The latest public opinion poll before Sunday's run off in Chile's presidential election shows ruling coalition candidate Michelle Bachelet leading her Conservative opponent Santiago Piñera by five points.

• Wednesday, January 11th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Lula calls Brazil and IMF partners now that debt is paid

  President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Tuesday that Brazil's early payment of its debt to the International Monetary Fund will not end its relationship with the IMF, but will make them partners.

• Wednesday, January 11th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Chavez accuses US of scuttling Brazil plane deal

  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said the U.S. is blocking his efforts to acquire Brazilian military training aircraft as part of an ongoing ''war'' between the two countries.

• Wednesday, January 11th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Peru bans ex-president's election bid

  Peru's former President Alberto Fujimori, fighting extradition from a Chilean jail on charges of graft and involvement in murder, is barred from running for president because congress banned him from holding office, election officials ruled.

• Wednesday, January 11th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  China rejects Chilean decision to slash permits for local port access

  Chinese fishing authorities consider that the Chilean government's unilateral decision to restrict the access of Chinese fishing vessels to the South American country's ports will damage the efforts taken by both parties and will hinder future cooperation, said a trading advisor in China's Embassy to Santiago, Chen Yuming

• Wednesday, January 11th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Bolivian president-elect visits South Africa

  Bolivian President-elect Evo Morales arrived in South Africa on Tuesday on an international tour that already has taken him to Europe and China.

• Tuesday, January 10th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentine squid fishery kicks off February 1

  Members of Argentina's Squid Monitoring Commission agreed on February first as the starting point for the next shortfin squid (Illex argentinus) season. The decision enforced in Argentina's EEZ had been notified to industry representatives.