Mercosur

• Thursday, January 5th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Controversy over strong Chilean peso persists

  Chile will only act to mitigate the appreciation of the local currency under exceptional situations because the current conditions surrounding the Real Exchange Rate, RER, of the Chilean peso are the most favourable in the last fifteen years, said Central Bank president Vittorio Corbo.

• Thursday, January 5th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Chile's consumer inflation in 2005: 3.7%

  Chile's consumer prices index last December dropped 0.3% totalling an annual inflation in 2005 of 3,7%, in line with the Central Bank 2 to 4% target, but the highest since the 4.5% of the year 2000.

• Thursday, January 5th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentina's debt equivalent to 66% of GDP

  Cancelling the International Monetary Fund, IMF, debt does not represent a significant reduction in the overall debt of Argentina, although it does mean a contraction of international exposure.

• Thursday, January 5th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Chilean exports reach a record 39 billion US dollars

  Chilean exports advanced 35% in 2005 compared to the previous year totalling 39 billion US dollars according to the International Economic Relations Office, (Direcon). Foreign trade now is equivalent to 65% of Chile's GDP.

• Thursday, January 5th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Chile: Bachelet leads but Piñera closing in

  Chilean presidential Socialist candidate Michelle Bachelet was leading her conservative opponent Sebastián Piñera by more than eight points a week and a half from the runoff, January 15, according to a poll published Wednesday.

• Thursday, January 5th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentine Senator blasts Falklands fishing policy

  Tierra del Fuego Senator Mario Domingo Daniele pledged this week to renew his commitment in denouncing “the illegitimacy of the Malvinas fishing licences awarded by Great Britain”.

• Wednesday, January 4th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Peru makes official Fujimori's extradition request

  Peru officially presented on Tuesday to the Chilean government the official extradition request for former President Alberto Fujimori, charged with several counts of human rights abuse and corruption.

• Wednesday, January 4th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Chile: promises of 120 sweeping reforms in 120 days

  Chile's conservative presidential candidate Sebastian Piñera announced Tuesday 120 measures he promised to rapidly implement in 120 days if he wins the January 15 runoff against ruling coalition candidate Michelle Bachelet.

• Wednesday, January 4th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  US offers aid to Bolivia's new government but?

  United States offered Tuesday aid to Bolivia's new administration but specified that the bilateral relationship will depend on the policies that elected president Evo Morales implements and the ties he develops with other countries.

• Wednesday, January 4th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Latin America living under an “imperfect democracy”

  Renowned Peruvian author Mario Vargas Llosa said Latin America is living under an “imperfect” democracy and went on to attack the presidents of Venezuela Hugo Chavez; Nestor Kirchner from Argentina and Cuba's Fidel Castro.