Mercosur

• Sunday, January 16th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Petrobras production in 2004 dropped 3,2%

  Petrobras, the Brazilian government owned oil consortium admitted its oil extraction in 2004 dropped 3,2% compared to 2003.

• Sunday, January 16th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Venezuela supports Insulza for OAS

  Venezuela officially announced it supports Chilean Minister of Interior Jose Miguel Insulza as candidate for the post of Secretary General of the Organization of American States, OAS.

• Sunday, January 16th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazil's foreign trade policy confronts ministers

  Brazilian Trade and Development Minister Luiz Fenando Furlan strong criticism of the country's current financial, monetary and Mercosur policies were openly applauded by Brazilian industry and exporters but caused great irritation inside President Lula da Silva administration.

• Saturday, January 15th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Venezuela & Colombia suspends bilateral relations

  President Hugo Chavez on Friday demanded that Colombia apologize for violating Venezuela's sovereignty and announced that until Bogota makes amends all agreements and bilateral affairs will be frozen.

• Saturday, January 15th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentina seeks to ease creditor concerns

  Argentina's government has jumped to the defence of a so-called “most-favoured-creditor” clause in its $100bn debt offer after mounting concern that it contained an important loophole.

• Friday, January 14th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  “Mercosur is more than a market agreement”

  Uruguay's President-elect Tabaré Vázquez yesterday met with President Néstor Kirchner in Government House, on his first trip abroad since he won office in the October 31 election.

• Friday, January 14th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Chile, Panama: free trade talks.

  Panama and Chile agreed Thursday to restart free trade negotiations that were set aside under former President Mireya Moscoso.

• Thursday, January 13th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  EU lifts north Argentina FAM ban

  Experts from the European Union supported ending bovine meat imports restrictions from four Argentine northern provinces which have been effective since early 2003 to avoid the spread of foot and mouth disease.

• Thursday, January 13th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentina launches defaulted debt package.

  Argentina officially presented Wednesday in Buenos Aires its defaulted debt new package offer and stated that if it manages a 50% acceptance from creditors, “we will have restructured two thirds of the country's total debt” and the “default process will have concluded”.

• Thursday, January 13th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazil promises to support US dollar and exporters.

  The Brazilian government worried with a weak dollar and its impact on exports announced its decision to counter the appreciation of the local currency.