Mercosur

• Sunday, December 4th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Chavez blames “Mr. Danger” for election boycott

  Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez blamed United States president George W. Bush for the opposition boycott to this Sunday's congressional election describing the situation as a new US conspiracy against his government.

• Sunday, December 4th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  UK call for scrapping agriculture subsidies

  The Finance ministers from the G7 group (most industrialized nations) meeting in London called for a renewed attempt to break the deadlock in world trade talks, ahead of the WTO Hong Kong December 13/18 meeting.

• Saturday, December 3rd 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Aerolineas Argentinas back in the air

  Aerolineas Argentinas pilots and mechanics ended Friday a nine days strike which grounded Argentina's flag carrier and stranded over 80.000 domestic and international travellers.

• Friday, December 2nd 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Mercosur: Six months before Venezuela's incorporation

  Venezuela expects to begin fully integrating to Mercosur by the end of June 2006 following the signature next week in Uruguay of the official proceedings leading to its full membership.

• Friday, December 2nd 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Peru: choosing between “bad and worse”

  One of Peru's top novelists described the political option faced by Peruvians in next year's presidential election as one between bad and worse.

• Friday, December 2nd 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazil “has no candidate” in Bolivia's election

  Brazil tried Thursday to downplay President Lula da Silva's words of support for the left wing Indian candidate who leads Bolivian public opinion polls in the run up to December 18 presidential election.

• Friday, December 2nd 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  President Kirchner wraps cabinet reshuffle

  Argentine President Nestor Kirchner wrapped up Thursday the reshuffling of his cabinet taking the oath to four new ministers during a brief ceremony in Casa Rosada with no speeches and a general feeling of relief.

• Friday, December 2nd 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentina/UK Falklands' de-mining talks “positive”

  Argentina and Great Britain agreed last Thursday in London to continue with the feasibility studies for the de-mining of the Falklands/Malvinas, reported Friday the Argentine Foreign Affairs ministry.

• Thursday, December 1st 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Strong currency and exporters fears for 2006

  As the soaring Chilean peso set a new five year record against the US dollar pushed by the high prices of copper and less chances of Central Bank intervention, a poll showed that 44,7% of Chilean manufacturers are planning to cancel or postpone investments in 2006 because of the strength of the Chilean currency.

• Thursday, December 1st 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Lula and Kirchner “indispensable” partners, but?

  Brazil and Argentina presidents met Wednesday in the border town of Puerto Iguazú to celebrate the strategic partnership born out of twenty years of toiling towards economic integration, but also to address more pressing issues such as bilateral trade and support for Argentina's coming negotiations with the IMF.