Mercosur

• Monday, February 9th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Radioactive cargo crosses Panama Canal

  The British flagged “Pacific-Sandpiper” loaded with radioactive waste crossed this weekend the Panama Canal, according to the Panamanian Human Rights chapter.

• Monday, February 9th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  “Useful and constructive” dialogue

  The International Monetary Fund and Argentina held this Monday in Miami a top level five hours meeting that was later described in an official release as “useful and constructive”.

• Saturday, February 7th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  No Deal in Free Trade of Americas Talks

  Deputy ministers from 34 nations in the Americas failed to reach agreement Friday on a framework for the Free Trade Area of the Americas, stymied by differences on the contentious issue of U.S. farm subsidies.

• Friday, February 6th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Latin American bonds are shaken but not stricken

  US interest rates will rise and it may take slightly longer for Brazilian overnight rates to fall than was previously expected.

• Friday, February 6th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Lavagna to meet Koheler in Miami on Monday

  Government deaf to G7 call for constructive talks on defaulted debt. “There will be no turning back” on 25 cents per dollar offer.

• Friday, February 6th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  U.S. donates state-of-the-art radars to Argentina

  Argentina's air force on Thursday received one of two state-of-the-art radars donated by the United States to help step up the nation's border security, the Defense Ministry reported.

• Thursday, February 5th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Chilean politics reshuffle

  Even when Chilean president Ricardo Lagos mandate extends until 2006, several potential candidates to succeed him are lining up, the last of which Minister of Interior Miguel Angel Insulza, better known in Chilean politics as the “panzer”.

• Thursday, February 5th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Massive intoxication with molluscs in Chile

  The massive intoxication of 125 people with contaminated molluscs from Puerto Montt has forced Chilean sanitary and food authorities to impose strict traceability and origin certification of all sea food transport and retailing.

• Thursday, February 5th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Rapprochement in FTAA meeting

  A decade after the United States launched the idea of creating a Free Trade Association of the Americas, FTAA, encompassing from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, the 34 nations of the region (except Cuba) are beginning to approach a consensus on the terms for the January 2005 deadline.

• Thursday, February 5th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentina insists with 75% debt reduction

  Argentina insists with a 75% cut in its standing defaulted debt of approximately 88 billion US dollars.