Mercosur

• Monday, April 12th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil to command UN peace contingent in Haiti.

  Brazil will be commanding a United Nations peace force to be deployed in Haiti that will be made up of Peruvian, Chilean, Argentine as well as Brazilian servicemen announced Brazilian Minister of Defence Jose Viegas.

• Monday, April 12th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Santiago residents contrary to Bolivian Pacific outlet.

  Three out of four Santiago residents reject the proposal of giving Bolivia an outlet to the sea, according to a public opinion poll published this Sunday in Chile's most influential daily El Mercurio. Only 14% favour the proposal.

• Monday, April 12th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Mercosur criticizes US and praises EU.

  The president of Mercosur' Council of Permanent Representatives, Eduardo Duhalde criticized the United State for insisting with “very selfish” criteria in the building process of the Free Trade Association of the Americas that is scheduled to be launched in 2005 encompassing all American countries with the exception of Cuba.

• Monday, April 12th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentine expatriates transfer 225 million US dollars

  Argentines living abroad sent back home in 2003 the equivalent of 225 million US dollars a 22% increase over 2002, according to the Interamerican Development Bank Investments Multilateral Fund which keeps track of funds transferred by Latinamericans overseas.

• Monday, April 12th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina has become “latinamericanized”

  After several decades of low poverty Argentina has become highly “latinamericanized” and even with prospects of recovery the country still faces “social emergency” conditions according to a report from a private organization, Fundacion Capital.

• Monday, April 12th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Bank of England basic rate unchanged at 4%

  In spite of surging house prices and ballooning consumer debt the Bank of England Monetary policy Committee decided last week to keep interest rates unchanged at 4%.

• Saturday, April 10th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina agrees to protect marine life.

  Argentina has agreed to bar harmful development along its 2,000-mile coastal zone, giving a new lease of life to its elephant seals and sea lions.

• Thursday, April 8th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Cuba divides Chilean ruling coalition.

  With 67 favourable votes, 18 against and 18 abstentions the Chilean Lower House condemned the Cuban regime of President Fidel Castro for its human rights policy.

• Thursday, April 8th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazilian president approval plunges 15 points.

  With mounting labour and peasant unrest public opinion support for Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva plunged 15 points in the first quarter of 2004 according to private pollster IBOPE.

• Thursday, April 8th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  A third of Argentine households supported by women.

  Women are the main support in 32% of Argentine households according to a poll taken by a private consultancy company with the purpose of assessing the consequences of the 2001/03 financial and social crisis.