Mercosur

• Monday, April 7th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Justicialistas, but still undecided

  With just two weeks for the April 27 Argentine general election, no presidential candidate has a clear lead confirming what analysts describe as a mix of weariness, indifference and even rejection of the Argentine electorate towards the political system.

• Friday, April 4th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Pinochet hospitalized in Santiago

  Former Chilean President Augusto Pinochet, who ruled Chile from 1973 to 1990, remained at the Santiago military hospital on Thursday, after being admitted the day before with a bad cold and a foot injury, family and medical sources said.

• Friday, April 4th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina to eliminate alternative currencies

  Argentina on Thursday took a step toward fulfilling its agreement with the IMF to take out of circulation provincial-government bonds that have been used as legal tender.

• Friday, April 4th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Iraq pushes Chilean inflation

  Education and fuel prices pushed the March retail prices index in Chile to 1,2%, and the accumulated inflation of the last twelve months to 4,5%, the highest since 1991.

• Friday, April 4th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  New Central Bank Councillor

  Chilean president Ricardo Lagos proposed a renowned independent economist with international experience, Vittorio Corbo, as Central Bank Councillor, the first step to nominate the next president of the institution following Mr. Carlos Massad resignation that becomes effective May 1.

• Friday, April 4th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Duhalde campaigns for Kirchner

  Argentine caretaker president Eduardo Duhalde abandoned his so far impartial and distant stand and openly campaigned for Néstor Kirchner, presidential candidate for the coming April 27 election.

• Thursday, April 3rd 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Poll: Brazilian President Very Popular

  After three months in office, leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva enjoys widespread popularity, according to a opinion poll released Wednesday.

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

  U.S. expecting first shipment of Venezuelan gasoline

  Venezuela is resuming shipments of unleaded gasoline from the Paraguana refinery complex, with a first U.S.-bound ship currently being loaded

• Tuesday, April 1st 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Chilean Central Bank president resigns

  Carlos Massad, Chile's Central Bank president resigned this Monday following a string of financial scandals involving the stealing of privileged information from his office by unfaithful dependents.

• Tuesday, April 1st 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  EU-Mercosur talks on track

  European Union-Mercosur trade negotiations are on track according to the timetable agreed in Rio do Janeiro last August, and the recent Athens EU ministerial meeting ratified political support to the talks, said Pascal Lamy, EU Trade Commissioner currently visiting Mercosur member countries.