Mercosur

• Thursday, July 3rd 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Who's to blame?

  An in depth United States Congressional paper from the Joint Economic Committee argues that some of the main reasons for the Argentine political crisis and the collapse of the economy lie in the fact that the country faced adverse international circumstances and its governments failed in the measures to confront them, “making things even worse”.

• Thursday, July 3rd 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Buenos Aires seat of Antartic Treaty Secretariat

  Buenos Aires was officially designated as the seat of the permanent Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty during the XXVI Consulting Meeting held last June in Madrid, Spain.

• Wednesday, July 2nd 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Mercosur cautious about CAP reforms.

  Mercosur countries reacted cautiously to the latest Common Agriculture Policy, CAP, agreement reached by the European Union after three weeks of hard bargaining. The gigantic sum of 43 billion Euros annually ploughed into EU farms will be substantially reduced and apparently reoriented as of 2005, towards a more environment friendly and quality agriculture.

• Wednesday, July 2nd 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Uruguay supports “monetary convergence”

  Uruguay that is holding the Mercosur chair for the next six months will give priority to the creation of a monetary and exchange rate convergence on the lines described by Argentine Minister of Economy Roberto Lavagna.

• Tuesday, July 1st 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Lula 's standing remains strong.

  With six months in office Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's support remains virtually unchanged in 42% according to a poll from Datafolha, aired this weekend in Sao Paulo.

• Tuesday, July 1st 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  A Lady for Peru.

  The first woman Primer Minister in the history of Peru was sworn in by President Alejandro Toledo ending a week long political crisis.

• Tuesday, July 1st 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Well done for Kirchner and Lavagna

  An overwhelming majority of Argentines, 83,5%, believe the country's situation will improve and a similar percentage consider President Nestor Kirchner's is doing a “good or very good” job, according to the latest opinion poll published this Sunday in the Buenos Aires press.

• Monday, June 30th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  With Brazil's prodding, CAN closer to Mercosur

  The Community of Andean Nations, CAN, agreed this past weekend to accelerate the decision making process with the purpose of achieving a free trade agreement with Mercosur by the end of the year and so be better prepared for the coming United States sponsored Free Trade Association of the Americas, FTAA.

• Monday, June 30th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Majority against President Chávez

  If a revocatory referendum against Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez is called, 62% of Venezuelans would vote against him, while 30% would support him according to a poll released this weekend in Caracas, the country's capital.

• Monday, June 30th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina clips wings of speculative capital

  Argentina imposed a six months compulsory “residence” on incoming financial capital. The regulation that already exists in other South American countries and excludes foreign trade operations and “direct foreign investment” is targeted to ease the impact of speculation in local financial markets.