Mercosur

• Tuesday, August 12th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Labour disruption in Chile

  Chilean Minister of Interior Jose Miguel Insulza warned this Monday that government employees who join this Wednesday's national strike sponsored by the country's Central Union of Workers, CUT, will be sanctioned.

• Tuesday, August 12th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Pinochet's 1988 coup attempt

  Chilean president Ricardo Lagos said this Monday that opposition leaders were well aware that former dictator Generl Augusto Pinochet was determined to ignore the results of the 1988 referendum with a new self imposed coup.

• Tuesday, August 12th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Financial support for trade and integration

  The Inter-American Development Bank, IDB, announced this week the launching of a special financial program that includes loans and technical assistance to help adjust the Latinamerican and Caribbean economies to the challenges of integration and commercial opening.

• Monday, August 11th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Modest 1,5% growth forecasted for Latinamerica

  Latinamerica's economy is expected to experience a modest 1,5% recovery during the current year, after suffering a negative growth of 0,6% in 2002 according to the latest release from the United Nations Economic Committee for Latinamerica, CEPAL.

• Monday, August 11th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Chávez could abandon IMF

  Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez insinuated that Venezuela could abandon the International Monetary Fund, IMF, if multilateralism “doesn't change” and keeps insisting in the promotion of “neo-liberal” economic policies.

• Monday, August 11th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Strong primary budget surplus

  The Argentine government consolidated sector is forecasted to finish 2003 with a strong primary budget surplus equivalent to 2,8% of GDP, well above target according to the private risk agency Fundación Capital.

• Monday, August 11th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  New leader for O'Globo empire

  Brazil's main media conglomerate O'Globo has a new leader, Roberto Irineu Marinho, the eldest son of Mr. Roberto Marinho who died last week at the age of 98 and had become one of the most influential men of the country.

• Monday, August 11th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  National strike in Chile

  Chilean unions have announced a national strike for next Wednesday when the country's Congress is scheduled to begin considering the free trade agreement signed with the United States and which was approved by an ample majority in the US Senate, 66 votes and 31 against.

• Saturday, August 9th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  France asks Argentina to hand over the “Angel of Death”

  France has formally requested the extradition of Alfredo Astiz, a former Argentinean Navy captain and notorious death squad leader who has become a sinister icon of Argentina's 1976-83 “dirty war”, a Justice Ministry official said Saturday

• Thursday, August 7th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  “Wash your hands” campaign in Chile

  A massive communicational and educational campaign to prevent the spread of Hepatitis A outbreaks particularly in metropolitan Santiago de Chile was launched this week by the Chilean Ministry of Public Health and the city's environmental authorities.