Mercosur

• Monday, July 28th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Regional FAM alert

  A “regional alert” against foot and mouth disease was announced in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, at the end of a meeting of Agriculture and Livestock Ministers and experts from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile and Peru.

• Monday, July 28th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Majority favour extradition of Argentine military

  A majority of Argentines consider as “correct” the recent decision of President Nestor Kirchner to revoke the decree that impeded the extradition of Argentine military allegedly involved in human rights crimes.

• Sunday, July 27th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Cuba celebrates 50 years of revolution

  Cuban President Fidel Castro returned to Moncada Barracks in Santiago on Saturday to mark the 50th anniversary of the attack that set in motion the revolution that brought him to power in 1959.

• Saturday, July 26th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Notorious death squad leader arrested in Argentina

  The so-called “angel of death,” a notorious death squad leader who has become a sinister icon of Argentina's 1976-83 “dirty war” against leftists, was arrested here Friday pending possible extradition to Spain, official sources said.

• Thursday, July 24th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Kirchner: Bush gave me “unconditional” support for recovery plan.

  Argentine President Nestor Kirchner said Wednesday that he had received from U.S. counterpart George W. Bush “unconditional” support for his country's economic recovery and for the Argentine stance in negotiations with the IMF.

• Thursday, July 24th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil Commission Passes Reform Bill, Workers Protest

  In a victory for President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a Brazilian Congress commission passed a bill to cut public pension benefits on Wednesday after civil servants clashed with police in protest against the changes.

• Thursday, July 24th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Controversy over free trade agreements

  United States Democrat Congress members are strongly lobbying against the approval of bilateral free trade agreements with Chile and Singapore currently being discussed in Capitol Hill.

• Wednesday, July 23rd 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina economy forecasted to grow 5,5%.

  Argentina's economy is expected to expand between 5 and 5,5% this year according to the latest report from the country's Economy Minister Roberto Lavagna who is one of the few top officials to accompany President Nestor Kirchner this Wednesday in his two days visit to the United States. The previous forecast was 4,5 to 5%.

• Wednesday, July 23rd 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Breaking News.

  Headlines:
  Chile's economy vulnerable; Volkswagen workers reject redundancies; Argentine oil reserves falling.

• Tuesday, July 22nd 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Kirchner's visit and Argentina's image in the US.

  The much awaited meeting between Argentine President Nestor Kirchner and US President George Bush will take place Wednesday July 23 at 14:15 hours in the White House. Although scheduled for half an hour, this first meeting could last longer since “both presidents have much in common”, remarked James Cheek a former American ambassador in Argentina currently visiting Buenos Aires.