Mercosur

• Saturday, October 16th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Former OAS chief in Costa Rican Court

  Former Organization of American States, OAS, Secretary General Miguel Angel Rodríguez was handcuffed and carried away on arriving this Friday to San Jose airport in Costa Rica where he must respond to alleged claims of bribery which abruptly cut short his recent naming in OAS.

• Saturday, October 16th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina replaces Chile in UN Security Council.

  Argentina, Denmark, Greece, Japan and Tanzania won this week seats as non permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

• Saturday, October 16th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  “Patagonia Declaration” stresses sustainable tourism.

  The formal Third Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Tourism Ministers Meeting which convened officials and delegates from 18 of 22 APEC member countries to Punta Arenas closed early afternoon last Thursday with the “Patagonia Declaration”.

• Friday, October 15th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Second record US budget deficit.

  The United States budget deficit reached 412 billion US dollars in fiscal 2004, the highest ever in the country's history according to a report from the Treasury Department.

• Friday, October 15th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Bielsa to meet Walker in Montevideo.

  After having publicly stated that “it would not be possible to work” with Chilean Foreign Affairs minister Ignacio Walker, Argentine minister Rafael Bielsa finally said that the latest Chilean-Argentine controversy “was over”.

• Friday, October 15th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  More poor people in Brazil.

  The number of Brazilians with insufficient resources to feed adequately actually increased during Socialist president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva first year of government according to an independent report.

• Friday, October 15th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Peru suspends flights of LAN Peru.

  The Peruvian government suspended as of Friday October 15 all operations of the country's second largest air carrier Lan Peru following a judicial ruling stating the company had violated civil aviation regulations.

• Thursday, October 14th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina orders back vessels over-fishing hake.

  The Argentine government ordered the Argentine Naval Prefecture, (Coast Guard) to immediately call to port all vessels which continue to fish despite having exceeded the common hake (Merluccius hubbsi) quota allocated for this year.

• Thursday, October 14th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Chileans will manage Uruguayan wood chip port.

  The Uruguayan government granted Chilean company Graneles S.A. the rights to operate for 30 years the port of La Paloma on the Atlantic coast as an outlet for its forestry exports, reported the Montevideo press.

• Thursday, October 14th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Second chance for Chilean OAS candidate.

  Chilean president Ricardo Lagos admitted several regional leaders had anticipated they would support a Chilean candidate for the Organization of American States secretary general following the controversial resignation of recently named Miguel Angel Rodríguez.