Mercosur

• Tuesday, June 28th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Naval and air exercises in the Pacific and Mercosur

  Chilean frigate “Almirante Williams”, former HMS Sheffield, left Valparaiso Monday to participate in the naval exercise “Operation America 2005” together with units from neighbouring countries.

• Tuesday, June 28th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Business concern with Brazil's political situation

  One of Brazil's largest and most influential companies said it was postponing investments until the political situation is more stable given the expanding reverberations of the corruption scandal which has virtually paralyzed the administration of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

• Monday, June 27th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Chavez hikes military pay and calls for unity

  A uniformed Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called for unity among the country's military to advance with his so-called “Bolivarian Revolution”.
  “We're going to celebrate with our morale high, united, making history, the new history, the new homeland: the Bolivarian Revolution” said Mr. Chavez during a parade in a military compound close to Caracas.

• Monday, June 27th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Carter praises Argentina's regional stabilization role

  Former United States president and Nobel Peace Prize Jimmy Carter praised Argentina's commitment to peace adding that together with Brazil has the responsibility of “maintaining stability in the region”.

• Monday, June 27th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  More details of Brazil's bribe ring in Congress

  Two publicity and public relations agencies linked to the bribes scandal shocking Brazil, regularly withdrew large amounts of money from a government bank which were supposedly used by the ruling party for illegal purposes, reports the Sao Paulo magazine “Istoé”.

• Monday, June 27th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentine economy rolling ahead, but watch spending

  A private consulting firm estimates that Argentina's primary surplus will reach this year 19,000 million pesos which is equivalent to 3,6% of GDP, a slight drop from 2004, but ensures that the “fiscal front is cleared” for the rest of the year.

• Sunday, June 26th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Royal Navy frigates operation: 350 million US dollars

  The Royal Navy Type 23 frigates currently on service, “HMS Norfolk”, HMS Marlborough“ and HMS Grafton” will be joining the Chilean Navy between 2006 and 2008 in an operation involving 350 million US dollars, following a purchase agreement signed this month in London.

• Sunday, June 26th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Total begins pumping offshore Tierra del Fuego gas

  The French oil consortium Total began this week extracting natural gas from two offshore deposits, Carina and Aires, 60 miles from Tierra del Fuego in the South Atlantic with an estimated daily production of 8 million cubic metres in 2006.

• Saturday, June 25th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Fisheries hot news

  Squid fishery north of parallel 39 closed as of June 27 - Argentina sets scallop TAC for this year - Proposal for more fishing permits to fight unemployment -

• Saturday, June 25th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Good prospect for Latinamerica in 2006

  The Latinamerican economy is set to grow between 4 and 5% in 2006 favoured by a positive trade balance and a major influx of investment forecasted Friday a high official from the Inter American Development Bank in Washington.