Mercosur

• 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.

• 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.