Mercosur

• Friday, October 5th 2018 - 09:22 UTC

  “My flag is the union of the Brazilian people, defend the family and combat violence”, pledges Bolsonaro

  

  Jair Bolsonaro, Brazilian extreme right presidential candidate is leading in opinion polls and also has good strategists. On prime time Thursday when the seventh and last debate of presidential candidates, which he did not attend on medical recommendations, Bolsonaro had a long interview aired at the same time, at his home, in which contrary to his firebrand rhetoric he transmitted a clearly conciliatory message.

• Tuesday, September 25th 2018 - 19:04 UTC

  Argentine Central bank governor resigns for personal reasons: Peso slides 5% against the US dollar

  

  The governor of Argentina's central bank, Luis Caputo resigned on Tuesday for personal reasons, the bank said in a statement, a surprise announcement in the midst of the country's talks with the IMF that sent the peso tumbling. Former finance minister Caputo has only held the role since June and is the second Argentine central bank president to resign this year. Argentina's peso currency slid 4.65% to open at 39.15 per U.S. dollar after the announcement, traders said.

• Tuesday, September 11th 2018 - 15:31 UTC

  Lula's party expected to announce Haddad as the presidential candidate

  

  Jailed former Brazilian president Lula da Silva is expected to allow his Workers Party to announce running mate Fernando Haddad as its candidate, following the latest ruling from the Supreme Court. Lula had hoped the Justices would agree to an appeal for more time to switch the head of the Workers Party (PT) ticket after Brazil’s top electoral court last week banned him from running due to a corruption conviction and gave him 10 days to remove his name.

• Monday, September 3rd 2018 - 19:17 UTC

  Macri admits the seriousness of the situation and Dujovne is off to meet with IMF

  

  President Mauricio Macri unveiled plans on Monday to raise export taxes on grains and slash the number of government ministries in a bid to balance its budget next year, as Argentina seeks a deal with the IMF to accelerate a US$ 50 billion standby loan program.

• Saturday, September 1st 2018 - 08:00 UTC

  Mercosur expecting a “move” from the EU at this month's negotiations in Montevideo

  

  Brazil's Foreign Minister Aloysio Nunes said he expects more “movement” from the European Union as long running talks on a free trade deal with his South American bloc Mercosur head into the home stretch.

• Monday, August 27th 2018 - 06:58 UTC

  Auto industry, beef and sugar, remain hurdles for a Mercosur/EU deal

  

  Negotiators of a free trade deal between the European Union and Mercosur want to wrap up by September, but differences over beef, sugar and the auto industry could dash those hopes, Brazilian foreign minister Aloysio Nunes said. Issues over intellectual property, rules of origin and marine shipping services also need to be nailed down, Nunes said in an interview.

• Thursday, August 16th 2018 - 22:42 UTC

  Brazil corn production next season could reach a first time 100m tons

  

  Brazilian farmers are expected to plant a record amount of soybean acres this coming season, encouraged by strong demand from China, and yield a record harvest next year, consultancy Céleres said in its first forecast for the new cycle. The next crop cycle in Brazil, the world's No. 1 soybean exporter, begins in September.

• Thursday, August 16th 2018 - 22:12 UTC

  Mercosur reliance on China and industrial protectionism, challenges for a deal with EU

  

  Mercosur excessive reliance on exports to China and industrial protectionism in chemicals are core stumbling blocks to reaching a free trade agreement (FTA) with the EU, a policy paper published by the 28-country bloc released on Monday.

• Sunday, August 5th 2018 - 11:35 UTC

  Despite jail sentence, Lula nominated candidate for October's presidential election

  

  Brazil's leftist Workers' Party nominated its charismatic founder Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for the upcoming presidential contest on Saturday despite him being imprisoned for corruption. In a message from Lula read to the party convention in Sao Paulo, he said, “Brazil needs to restore its democracy.” Although serving a 12-year sentence for corruption, Lula, 72, remains by far the frontrunner in opinion polls.

• Thursday, July 26th 2018 - 19:47 UTC

  Falklands chooses Latam as preferred operator for a second flight

  

  The Chilean/Brazilian Latam airline has been chosen by the Falkland Islands Government as the preferred operator to provide a second commercial flight between the Falkland Islands and South America. The official announcement was made on Thursday, 26 July.