Mercosur

• Tuesday, October 12th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Crucial municipal elections in Chile

  Chilean president Ricardo Lagos admitted that “indiscipline” from members of the ruling coalition who decided to resign and thus run in the coming municipal elections as “independents” in over 70 towns, will seriously impair the government's electoral results.

• Tuesday, October 12th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Drinking problems among Chilean labour

  A report from the Chilean Safety Association indicates that 26,3% of Chilean workers have a drinking problem, that is heavy drinking, dependency or in serious risk of falling into any of the two categories.

• Tuesday, October 12th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazilians overseas assets: 82,7 billion US dollars

  The total of declared assets held by Brazilians residents overseas reached 82,7 billion US dollars last year. They are distributed among 120 countries but concentrated in fiscal paradises such as Cayman Island, Virgin islands and Bahamas, according to the Central Bank Brazilian Assets Overseas Census.

• Tuesday, October 12th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Venezuela increase oil royalties.

  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced during his weekly television program a substantial hike, from 1% to 16,6%, of oil royalties paid by foreign companies.

• Tuesday, October 12th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  More Bolivian natural gas for Argentina.

  Bolivian President Carlos Mesa and his Argentine counterpart, Nestor Kirchner, will meet in the southern Bolivian city of Sucre later this week to sign several bilateral energy agreements including the sale of greater volumes of natural gas.

• Tuesday, October 12th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Oil price surge impacts world growth.

  Oil workers strike in Nigeria and the latest report from the International Energy Agency, IEA, have helped oil prices break new records this Tuesday according to analysts in New York where Texas light crude was selling at over 54 US dollars the barrel. In London North Sea Brent reached 51,50 US dollars.

• Monday, October 11th 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.

• Monday, October 11th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile Hot News

  Summer time begins this weekend; Stronger Peso: 595 to the US dollar; New hospital for Punta Arenas; Insecurity and trust in democratic institutions; Sustainable tourism discussions; Bachelet leads vote intention opinion polls.

• Monday, October 11th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentines with poor opinion of US and Bush

  A vast majority of Argentines, 61% do not think highly of the United States, according to a public opinion poll published Sunday in the Buenos Aires Pagina/12 newspaper.

• Monday, October 11th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Agriculture devastating Brazil's grasslands

  Devastation of grasslands in Brazil is accelerating and the ecosystems are in danger of disappearing as did the jungle that once covered the country's Atlantic coast, state news agency Agencia Brasil reported this Sunday.