Mercosur

• Tuesday, April 1st 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Breaking News

  Headlines: Argentina recovering beef markets; IMF cuts growth forecast; Bomb damages courthouse in southern Chile.

• Monday, March 31st 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Kirchner leads with 21,2%.

  With just over three weeks for the coming Argentine presidential election next April 27, governor Néstor Kirchner leads in the polls with 21,2%, and for the first time since the campaign began a candidate managed to cross the psychological 20% threshold according to the latest Ipsos Mora y Araujo poll published last Sunday in La Nación.

• Monday, March 31st 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Lula appeals to Mercosur unity

  Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva sent a letter to the three partners of Mercosur, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, calling them to maintain unity, and convergence in trade negotiations. In exchange Brazil commits itself to eliminate trade barriers inside the block.

• Saturday, March 29th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  11,5 billion US dollars fled Argentina in 2002

  According to the Argentine Statistics and Census Office, Indec, last year 14,486 billion US dollars fled the country, a 246% increase over the 4,668 billion of 2001. The situation can be explained by the 12,097 billion US dollars the negative balance of the country's private non financial sector that amassed assets overseas estimated in 10,384 billion.

• Friday, March 28th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina to return dollar deposits to account holders

  The Argentine government announced a plan Thursday for the gradual return of dollar-denominated bank deposits effectively frozen since the devaluation of the peso in January 2002.

• Thursday, March 27th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Lula: First strike under my administration is “legitimate”

  Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva regards as “legitimate” the first strike staged during his administration, which took office on Jan. 1, a presidential spokesman said Wednesday.

• Wednesday, March 26th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  IMF suggests more austerity in Brazil
  Lula faces first strike.

  The International Monetary Fund, IMF, suggested Brazil should have a more ambitious medium term fiscal target to better protect the country against possible external shocks and praised officials for having committed themselves to a greater autonomy for the Central Bank.

• Wednesday, March 26th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina: Lavagna predicts 4,2% expansion.

  Argentina' Economy Minister Roberto Lavagna predicted that the country's economy would expand this year 4,2%, although inflation will reach 14%, four points above the February announcement.

• Wednesday, March 26th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Free trade agreement Chile-EFTA

  Chilean President Ricardo Lagos announced this week that Chile had successfully ended negotiations for a free trade agreement with the European Free Trade Association, a grouping that includes Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

• Wednesday, March 26th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Incumbent candidate leading...

  Paraguay's incumbent presidential candidate is leading and has even increased its distance from other hopefuls for the coming April 27 general election, according to the latest opinion poll published this Sunday in the Asunción press.