Mercosur

• Monday, May 23rd 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Senate calls Bielsa to discuss “Malvinas” policy

  Argentine Foreign Affairs minister Rafael Bielsa has been invited to the Senate next Tuesday to inform on Malvinas policy and the Kirchner administration's (late) reaction to the inclusion of South Atlantic islands in the European Union constitution.

• Monday, May 23rd 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Antuco tragedy opens debate on professional army

  As blizzards cleared Chile awoke to the full scale of army incompetence that triggered a tragedy in the Andes. Ill-equipped 21 recruits marched to their death, with 24 still missing in the snow-capped Andes.

• Monday, May 23rd 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Nuclear cooperation: Brazil denies Venezuelan approach

  Brazil so far has not received any proposal from Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez regarding nuclear cooperation between the two nations, but it will study any such proposal if and when it receives one.

• Monday, May 23rd 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Bolivia faced with a dead alley

  Bolivia faces a renewed week of political instability as protesters take to the streets to demand more state control over the country's vast reserves of natural gas and President Carlos Mesa warned he would step down if violence erupts.

• Monday, May 23rd 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Spain defends EU policy towards Cuba

  Spain defended Monday in Brussels the European Union's recent rapprochement with Cuba arguing that despite setbacks such as last week's expelling of several European legislators, the situation is better than before the thaw.

• Monday, May 23rd 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Andes tragedy: 10,000 US dollars compensation

  The Chilean Army said Monday it would compensate families with 10,000 US dollars for each of the soldiers frozen to death belonging to a company marching in the Andes and who were exposed to a sudden, fierce blizzard.

• Monday, May 23rd 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Peru-Chile relations back to normal

  Peruvian president Alejandro Toledo declared Monday that differences between Peru and Chile have been fully overcome and revealed that on his return from a trip to the Far East the 2+2 meeting of Defence and Foreign Affairs ministers will be held.

• Sunday, May 22nd 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Basic interest rate in Brazil raised to 19,75%

  Brazil's currency Real surged to a three year high against the US dollar after the Central Bank raised the basic Selic interest rate for the ninth straight month to 19,75% the highest since September 2003.

• Sunday, May 22nd 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina has record wheat exports

  Argentina's wheat exports rose to 8.7 million tons in the 2004-2005 harvest, double the previous harvest, reported the Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food ministry.

• Saturday, May 21st 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Maradona skills and inflation expectations

  Bank of England governor Mervyn King reached for an unusual ally to help him explain monetary policy to the populace at large - Diego Maradona.