Mercosur

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

  Who will receive the presidential sash May 25?

  If the Argentine presidential election this coming Sunday is as contested as anticipated by opinion polls and a run off is needed May 18, it's not completely certain that caretaker president Eduardo Duhalde will be handing the presidential sash to his elected successor on May 25 as current legislation anticipates.

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

  Another scandal for Mr. Lagos

  After enduring a full year of political and financial scandals involving former associates, this week Chilean president Ricardo Lagos administration has been forced to openly support Minister of Defence Michelle Bachelet who allegedly in the mid eighties was active in a terrorist group combating the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet.

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

  Argentina free of FAM with vaccination

  Argentina will formally request next month before the Paris based International Office of Epizooties that the country be considered free of foot and mouth disease with vaccination.

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

  US record budget deficit

  The United States government had a record deficit of 252,6 billion US dollars during the first half of fiscal 2003 indicated the Treasury Department. March was the most significant month with a 58,7 billion deficit following an expenditure increase of 6,6% and a 6,1% fall in revenue.

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

  Chilean Navy incorporates British frigate

  The Chilean Navy will launch its surface fleet renewal program at the end of 2003 when a short list of two/three of the current eleven shipyards interested, will be chosen said Admiral Miguel Angel Vergara in Santiago.

• Tuesday, April 22nd 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Permanent Veterinary Committee.

  Mercosur full members, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, plus Chile and Bolivia decided the creation of a Permanent Veterinary Committee with the purpose of harmonizing and joining efforts in the unification of sanitary conditions for the region.

• Monday, April 21st 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina: Last minute surprises

  With less than a week for the April 27 Argentine presidential election, the main public opinion polling companies in Buenos Aires don't dare a forecast since the four leading candidates are in a situation described as “a technical draw”, with none of them capable of attracting sufficient vote intention to definitively pierce through the 20% threshold.

• Monday, April 21st 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentine first ICC prosecutor.

  The recently created United Nations sponsored International Criminal Court, ICC, meeting in New York unanimously elected Argentine lawyer Luis Moreno Ocampo as its first prosecutor.

• Sunday, April 20th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Paraguay: fingers crossed

  The candidate of the ruling Paraguayan party Nicanor Duarte comfortably leads in the opinion polls for the coming presidential election next April 27 and the division among opposition factions is ensuring his victory according to local analysts.

• Friday, April 18th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Former Falklands Governor appointed to Venezuela

  The Falklands former Governor, Donald Lamont, has been appointed Britain's Ambassador to Venezuela. He will take up his new position in July having undertaken 'pre-post training' at the Foreign & Commonwealth office in London. He takes over from Dr. John Hughes who is looking for a new position.