Mercosur

• Monday, August 16th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Bielsa cautions Chile on Malvinas issue.

  Argentine Foreign Affairs minister Rafael Bielsa said that being friendly with a certain country “does not mean you inherit his enemies” but Argentina can't “stand indifferent” if Chilean diplomats participate in the celebration “by an illegitimate government” of an Argentine defeat.

• Monday, August 16th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  IMF non-complying waiver for Uruguay.

  The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) last Friday announced the approval granting a waiver on a non-complying disbursement to Uruguay of SDR 93.2 million (about US$138 million), which had been made by the IMF following completion of the fourth review under the Stand-By Arrangement, on February 20, 2004.

• Monday, August 16th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Airlines dispute with out having taken off.

  Sky Airline, another air carrier that is planning to fly to Punta Arenas this coming season announced it will attempt to block Aerolíneas del Sur operations since this is not a Chilean company but a subsidiary from Aerolíneas Argentinas.

• Monday, August 16th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Extends Voting on Chavez Referendum into Second Day.

  Venezuela extended a recall referendum on President Hugo Chavez into a second day, after a record turnout and malfunctioning ballot machines kept voters in line for as long as 10 hours.

• Monday, August 16th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Chavez wins Venezuela referendum.

  President Hugo Chavez survived a popular referendum to oust him, according to results Monday, while Venezuela's opposition swiftly claimed fraud.

• Sunday, August 15th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  “Leeds Castle”: Foreign Office complains to Chile.

  British Ambassador in Santiago Richard Wilkinson expressed the Foreign Office's disappointment to the Chilean Foreign Affairs Ministry for having denied Falklands based patrol vessel “HMS Leeds Castle” authorization to call into Punta Arenas, reported El Mercurio this weekend.

• Saturday, August 14th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  US record trade deficit

  United States trade deficit reached an unexpected 55,8 billion US dollars in June, 19% increase over the previous month and well above the 47 billion anticipated by markets.

• Saturday, August 14th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  New airline to Punta Arenas next October

  Aerolíneas del Sur belonging to Aerolineas Argentinas is scheduled to begin operations in Chile towards the end of next October.

• Saturday, August 14th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  “British investments will return to Argentina”

  British Ambassador in Argentina Sir Robin Christopher said he was “certain” that British investments will return to Argentina.

• Saturday, August 14th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Oil closer and closer to 50US dollars the barrel

  The volatile oil market ended the week with new record prices, ever closer to the 50 US dollars per barrel benchmark.