Mercosur

• Monday, December 26th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Lula loosing ground as main contender for 2006 election

  Brazilian opposition candidate Jose Serra has become the top presidential contender in Brazil, according to the latest public opinion poll by Ibope. Almost 36% of respondents said they would vote for the current Sao Paulo mayor and Brazilian Party of Social Democracy (PSDB) member in the next election.

• Monday, December 26th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Maoist guerrilla threaten to boycott Peruvian elections

  Maoist guerrilla Shinning Path threatened to boycott Peru's general election next April and the Peruvian government promised it will combat all armed groups endangering the electoral process.

• Monday, December 26th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Chile-Argentina agree to joint force under UN command

  Argentina and Chile will sign this week an agreement for the creation of a combined regional military force in support of United Nations peace efforts worldwide.

• Monday, December 26th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazil poised to become oil self sufficient in 2006

  Brazil, once almost completely dependent on imports for oil, early next year, Brazil will begin producing as much oil as it consumes, and shortly thereafter it'll join the ranks of the world's net oil exporters.

• Sunday, December 25th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Thousands gather for Pope's Christmas greeting

  Thousands packed Saint Peter's Basilica for Pope Benedict's first midnight mass at the Vatican. Outside the church, in the square, many more braved the cold night air and watched the ceremony on giant screens.

• Saturday, December 24th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Peru approves extradition charges against Fujimori

  The Peruvian government has formally approved 12 of the 17 charges that it plans to present in the extradition case against former president Alberto Fujimori

• Saturday, December 24th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Kirchner accused of promoting fascism practices

  Former Argentine president Fernando De la Rua accused Friday president Nestor Kirchner of taking Argentina to the “dangerous threshold of fascism” for having disrespected and poked fun of presidential institutions.

• Friday, December 23rd 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Vote returns confirm Morales landslide victory

  With the vote count almost completed and no prospects of dropping below the 50% benchmark, coca growers' leader Evo Morales will become next January 22 Bolivia's first even Indian president.

• Friday, December 23rd 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Petrobras buys Shell assets in three countries

  Brazilian government owned oil-company Petrobras confirmed Thursday the acquisition of Anglo-Dutch oil giant Royal Dutch Shell assets in Colombia, Paraguay and Uruguay totalling 140 million US dollars.

• Friday, December 23rd 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  New lamb facilities in Patagonia Argentine Beef Packers expands further

  Argentine Beef Packers opened its first lamb export plant in 2002 in Esquel which was very successful, despite the long distance in bringing lambs up from Santa Fe.