
Former Brazilian presidents Fernando Henrique Cardoso and Lula da Silva signed a statement in which they support Argentina's position in the Mercosur controversy regarding a flat unilateral tariff reduction as sponsored by president Jair Bolsonaro, with the backing of Uruguay, but rejected by President Alberto Fernandez.

Uruguay's Economy Minister Azucena Arbeleche and Foreign Minister Francisco Bustillo travelled to Paraguay Friday to discuss with the local administration of President Mario Abdo Benítez new steps towards flexibilities Mercosur's rules.

Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou said Thursday during the virtual Export Day celebrations that “we like to play on a large court, and not on a small, protected one.”

A report released Tuesday showed that Argentina's trade with neighbour Brazil has reached its highest level since 2018, exports reaching US $ 4.2 billion until May, 33% better than in the first five months of last year, but 6% lower than the same period of 2019.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has invited the Inter-Regional CARICOM–MERCOSUR Trade Council (CCICaMe) to take part in the 2021 Public Forum “Trade after covid-19: Building Resilience,” to be held at its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, it was announced.

After a study through which it was determined that international factors remained favourable. Paraguay's Central Bank (BCP) Friday announced that its Monetary Policy Committee (CPM) unanimously decided to maintain the monetary policy interest rate at 0.75% annually.

“We are liberal but not stupid,” said Brazil's Economy Minister Paulo Guedes Thursday during a virtual event where he explained that his country has no intention of leaving Mercosur, but it does want to modernize it.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez Wednesday said his country intends to have a greater presence in Latin American markets and for that it is willing to invest more than 4,5 billion euros (almost US $ 5,5 billion).

Brazil is determined that Mercosur's Common External Tariff, TEC, be reduced by 20% in two rounds of unilateral cuts, 10% immediately, and the other 10% in December. This is the official strategy and position of Brazil for the extraordinary meeting in June of the four founding members of the group, in Buenos Aires, underlined Lucas Ferraz, foreign trade secretary of the Brazilian Ministry of the economy.

Fabián Pepín Rodríguez Simón Monday, a former legal advisor to the City of Buenos Aires run by former President Mauricio Macri's Cambiemos alliance, has requested political asylum as a refugee in Uruguay, it was reported.