Mercosur

• Friday, November 5th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  UNITAS naval exercise in Uruguayan waters.

  Naval units from Argentina, Brazil, Spain, United States and Uruguay will be participating until November 19 in the annual Unitas Atlantic exercises which this year will take place mostly in Uruguayan territorial waters.

• Friday, November 5th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazil's embattled defense minister resigns.

  The Brazilian government announced Thursday the resignation of Defense Minister Jose Viegas, just two weeks after he was forced to repudiate statements by his own generals defending the repression that took place under the country's 1964-1985 military regime.

• Thursday, November 4th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Foreign debt, priority of the Rio Group agenda.

  Foreign Affairs ministers and coordinators of the 19 Latinamerican country members of the Rio Group were giving this Wednesday in Rio do Janeiro the final touches to the documents to be signed during the presidential summit Thursday and Friday.

• Thursday, November 4th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Chilean presidential mandate cut to four years.

  The Chilean Senate voted to cut the presidential mandate, beginning 2006, from six to four years without the chance of immediate re-election.

• Thursday, November 4th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Spain: We continue to claim sovereignty over Gibraltar.

  The Spanish foreign minister said Wednesday that his government maintains its claim to sovereignty over Gibraltar and will continue to press the issue in a renewed dialogue with Britain.

• Wednesday, November 3rd 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Chilean-Bolivian ministerial meeting.

  Chilean Foreign Affairs minister Ignacio Walker confirmed that he will be meeting his Bolivian counterpart Juan Ignacio Siles in the framework of the Rio Group presidential summit scheduled this week in Brazil.

• Wednesday, November 3rd 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  South Atlantic hake dispute ends in court.

  An Argentine federal judge repealed a lower court appeal that allowed several vessels to fish common hake (Merluccius hubbsi) despite having exceeded the total allowable catch (TAC) established by the Argentine Fisheries authorities. Furthermore the federal judge ordered the company owning those vessels to be sanctioned.

• Wednesday, November 3rd 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  UK consolidates as Chilean wines main customer.

  Chilean wine exports in the last twelve months (October 2003/September 2004) have reached 791 million US dollars which represents a 26,1% over the same period a year ago with the United Kingdom consolidating as the main customer.

• Wednesday, November 3rd 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Undisputed Bush victory and Republican majority.

  Re-elected President George W. Bush Wednesday evening celebrated victory in the presidential election and addressing a massive audience in the Ronald Reagan building close to the White House said he was proud of the Executive post.

• Wednesday, November 3rd 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazil congratulates reelected president Bush.

  Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva sent this Wednesday a salutation message to his US counterpart George W. Bush “warmly congratulating him for his significant victory” in the presidential election.