Mercosur

• Monday, April 26th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Copper price boom helps Chile.

  The Chilean government Copper Committee, Cochilco, has increased this year's estimates for the red metal that will now stand in a range of 126 to 130 US cents the pound.

• Monday, April 26th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Formal Chilean protest to Bolivia.

  Chile presented Bolivia a formal protest following the signing of a natural gas supply agreement between Argentina and Bolivia that specifically excludes any gas from going to Chile said Chilean Foreign Affairs minister Soledad Alvear.

• Monday, April 26th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil slows down Mercosur-EU talks.

  Brazilian reluctance, and strategy, seems to be slowing trade negotiations between Mercosur and the European Union following the latest contacts.

• Monday, April 26th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Record unemployment in Sao Paulo

  Unemployment last March in Great Sao Paulo reached a record 20,6%, 0,8 higher than last February (19,8) and 0,9 above a year ago according to a report from the Inter-unions Economic and Social Statistics Department, Diese.

• Sunday, April 25th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Chilean gov't says natural gas shortage a “sensitive issue”

  Chilean Chancellor Soledad Alvear said on Saturday that the supply problem caused by Argentine restrictions on gas exports to Chile is becoming “a sensitive issue provoking a great deal of concern”.

• Saturday, April 24th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Peru's Largest Airline Barred From U.S.

  U.S. authorities have prohibited Peru's largest airline, Aero Continente, from flying to the United States because of safety concerns, U.S. officials said Thursday.

• Friday, April 23rd 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Venezuelan recall referendum closer to a solution.

  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's administration reluctantly agreed Thursday a process of validating “dubious” signatures in support of a referendum on the leftist-populist leader's rule.

• Friday, April 23rd 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Tens of thousands rally against crime in Argentina.

  Tens of thousands of Argentines rallied Thursday night in this capital for the second time in less than a month to express solidarity with the father of a young man slain by his kidnappers and demand they be brought to justice.

• Friday, April 23rd 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Toothfish from “Maya V” nets over $2M

  The sale of the illegal catch of Patagonian toothfish seized from the Uruguayan flagged longliner “Maya V” earlier this year has netted in excess of $2 million, the Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation, Senator Ian Macdonald, and the Minister for Justice and Customs, Senator Chris Ellison, said this Friday in Canberra.

• Thursday, April 22nd 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Latinamerica forecasted to grow robustly.

  Latinamerica expanded a modest 1,7% in 2003 according to the International Monetary Fund six months World Economic Outlook released this week in advance of the coming IMF assembly scheduled to begin this Saturday in Washington.