Mercosur

• Wednesday, April 28th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Carabineros, the most trusted Chilean institution.

  The Chilean militarized police, Carabineros, is the institution most trusted by Chilean public opinion followed closely by the audiovisual media, while political parties figure in the bottom of the list, according to an opinion poll recently published in Santiago.

• Wednesday, April 28th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentine hake hubbsi catch quotas in 15 days time.

  Authorities from the Argentine fishery sector anticipated that quotas for hake hubbsi catches will be announced within 15 days upon reaching the expiration of the January quota restrictions. According to Fisheries and Aquaculture Under-secretary Gerardo Nieto there already exists an “initial agreement with all sectors involved.”

• Tuesday, April 27th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Interest in South Atlantic hydrocarbons

  Venezuelan and Brazilian government owned oil companies are interested in exploring in the South Atlantic basins according to sources from the Argentine Federal Planning Ministry, reports La Nacion in its Monday's edition.

• Tuesday, April 27th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  EU demands more integration from future associates

  The European Union cautioned Andean and Central American countries that any future trade association must have trade significance and is conditioned to the current World Trade Organization round.

• Tuesday, April 27th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Colombia acquits three IRA suspects

  A Colombian court this Monday acquitted three Irish Republican Army members of training local leftist rebels in bomb-making techniques. However the court sentenced the three on false documentation charges.

• Tuesday, April 27th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Record trade surplus in Brazil

  Brazil's trade surplus reached 7,678 billon US dollars between January 1 and April 25, a significant increase over the 5,291 billion US dollars of the same period a year ago reported the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade.

• Tuesday, April 27th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Mercosur natural gas integration

  Brazilian Mines and Energy Minister Dilma Rousseff emphasized the significance of natural gas integration between Bolivia, Argentina and Brazil.

• Tuesday, April 27th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Colombian oil output declining.

  Colombian oil output dropped almost 6% in the first quarter of 2004 compared to the same period last year reported this Tuesday state-owned oil company Ecopetrol.

• 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.