The technical tie for the Senate seat in the province of Buenos Aires is being closely followed by the business community and potential investors in Argentina, fearing that a victory by ex president Cristina Fernandez over the candidate sponsored by president Mauricio Macri, could be interpreted as a longing for the hand-out and subsidies policies of Kirchnerism and rejection of the current economic reforms which have yet to deliver enough jobs and stable prices.
Brazilian farmers are in the midst of collecting their biggest corn harvest ever, and American supplies are also plentiful -- setting the stage for a stiff battle to win world buyers in the second half of the year.
Mercosur foreign ministers meeting on Saturday in Brazil suspended Venezuela indefinitely for failing to uphold democratic norms amid an intensifying crackdown on dissent in the country. The bloc previously suspended Venezuela in December for failing to uphold commitments it made when it joined the group in 2012.
Mercosur foreign ministers are scheduled to meet this Saturday in Sao Paulo to decide on to how to address latest events in Venezuela, the fifth member of the group which remains suspended, and so far has not replied to calls to cancel the constituent assembly procedure and attempt some form of dialogue with the political opposition.
Mercosur inked a trade deal with Colombia last Friday to allow limited quantities of tariff-free trade in products including automobiles, textiles and agrochemicals, Argentina's and Colombia's governments said.
The members of Mercosur trade bloc called for an end to violence in Venezuela in a joint statement on Friday. However again opinions were divided: while Brazil and Argentina sponsored a more explicit warning to President Nicolas Maduro and his regime, Uruguay had it redrafted in a more conciliatory tone and Paraguay finally came out with a compromise option.
Mercosur Federation of Rural Associations consider inconvenient that the region should cease to vaccinate cattle against foot and mouth disease.
Uruguayan President Tabaré Vázquez Tuesday said that there are many internal problems in the countries that make up Mercosur, but that he was also “confident” that the main achievement this year will be the free trade agreement with the European Union.
European Union (EU) Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström said Monday in Madrid that the EU bloc “hopes to announce a political agreement for this Christmas in Buenos Aires” with Mercosur “even though technical aspects remain to be discussed.”
Argentina's new foreign minister Jorge Faurie took the oath of office before President Mauricio Macri to succeed Susana Malcorra, who resigned due to personal reasons, but will cotinue to serve the government in a different capacity.