Paraguay's Mario Abdo Benitez, “Marito”, who represents the country's long-dominant Colorado Party, was elected as president on Sunday, landing the top job in the country with the smallest economy in Mercosur. The US-educated son of a senior aide to the country's late dictator, Abdo Benitez won slightly more than 46% of the vote, with his centrist opponent Efrain Alegre taking almost 43% in a race that was far closer than expected.
China and South Korea are seeking to establish free trade agreements with Mercosur in a strategic response to Washington's increasingly protectionist stance. The East Asian initiatives have resonated well in a region where Washington is keeping its distance. U.S. President Donald Trump has not visited a single Latin American country since taking office in January 2017, and chose not to attend the Summit of the Americas, which recently concluded in Peru.
Starbucks has opened with great success its first store in Uruguay at the Montevideo Shopping mall in the capital city Montevideo. The store has a unique design and offers a wide range of Starbucks beverages and food, including Starbucks 100% arabica coffees from Latin America and around the world.
Justices from the First Panel of the Brazilian Supreme Federal Court (STF) voted, on Tuesday (17), accepting the charges filed by the Prosecutor General's Office against senator Aécio Neves (PSDB-MG), and former presidential candidate, accused of passive corruption and obstruction of justice.
The Economist recently published an extremely laudatory article on the performance of the Uruguayan economy in the last fifteen years, much of which can be supported but even more needs to be rectified, quite a surprise coming from a publication known for its research rigor. The piece was titled “Uruguay’s record-setting economic growth streak; How a small country outperforms its neighbors” and was published in the March 28th edition.
Brazil's leftist icon Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva turned himself in Saturday to start a 12-year sentence for corruption after a chaotic attempt by supporters to stop him from surrendering. Surrounded by bodyguards, Lula had to push through a seething throng of supporters to get into a police vehicle outside the metalworkers' union building in Sao Bernardo do Campo, where he had been holed up for two days and nights.
The 20th Air and Space Fair (Fidae), the most important aviation event in Latin America, kicked off in Chile on Tuesday with a participation of more than 50 exhibitors and about 120 civil and military aircraft. FIDAE, a biennial international air show held in Santiago, Chile, is the largest aerospace and defense fair in Latin America. More than 120,000 attendees are expected to attend during the six days display.
Former Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva told Folha de Sao Paulo early Friday that he has decided not to turn himself at the Federal Police in Curitiba where he must serve a 12-year prison sentence for corruption, as ordered by judge Sergio Moro.
Argentine foreign minister Jorge Faurie met on Tuesday in Paris with his French peer Jean-Yves Le Drian to address current political and economic bilateral relations, as well as the latest advances in the Mercosur/European Union negotiations.
An Argentine judge has charged ex president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner former planning minister in a case involving Brazilian company Odebrecht. Argentina's official Judicial Information Center says that Julio De Vido was charged Tuesday with carrying out incompatible deals while in public office.