Mercosur

• Wednesday, December 15th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Repsol-YPF finds natural gas in Venezuela

  Spanish oil company Repsol YPF discovered natural gas at an exploratory well in the Barrancas project, south-western Venezuela, the company said in a statement Tuesday.

• Wednesday, December 15th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Sky Airlines about to land in Punta Arenas

  Sky Airlines is ready to land in Punta Arenas Wednesday after having completed all procedures and established a sales counter in the city.

• Wednesday, December 15th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Lifesaver for financially strapped Varig

  A Brazilian court ruled Tuesday that the government must pay millions of dollars in compensation to financially strapped Varig airlines for losses the carrier incurred during the administrative 1984-1992 freeze on airfares.

• Wednesday, December 15th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Cardoso challenges President Lula's “invincibility”

  Former Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso said Tuesday that President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's strong popularity does not mean he will be “unbeatable” in Brazil's 2006 elections.

• Tuesday, December 14th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  United States and Argentina in IMF agenda

  Former Spanish Economy Minister Rodrgio de Rato has just completed six months as Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, one of the main multilateral instruments for world financial stability created in 1944 in Bretton Woods, towards the end of World War II by the victorious allies.

• Tuesday, December 14th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Poor 2005 Illex season forecasted in South Atlantic

  The South Atlantic Fisheries Commission met last week in Buenos Aires and recommended a “precautionary approach” to the coming Illex squid stock since the level of spawning mass at the end of the 2004 season was the lowest observed.

• Tuesday, December 14th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Climate: China, Brazil, India pressured

  While developing nations China, Brazil and India grow at break-neck pace with their burgeoning industry and farming, industrialized countries want them to clean up the dirty practices that have made them some of the world's biggest polluters.

• Monday, December 13th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Lula da Silva's coalition dismembers

  The Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, (PMDB) decided this Sunday to abandon the ruling coalition of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and adopt an “independent” position in Congress.

• Monday, December 13th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Mexico and Chile, strongest candidates for OAS

  Mexican Foreign Affairs minister Luiz Derbez admitted that Chilean Minister of Interior Jose Miguel Insulza is “a strong rival” for the Secretary General of the Organization of American States, OAS. However Mr. Derbez trusts he will finally prevail because, Mexico is a “leader” in the region.

• Monday, December 13th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  The Lagos administration at his best moment.

  Chilean president Ricardo Lagos popularity is at its highest rating since taking office: 68%. The highest of any Chilean president after four and a half years of mandate which means the ruling coalition is in an undisputable situation to win the next presidential and congressional elections.