Mercosur

• Monday, October 28th 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Menem picking up

  Former president Carlos Menem is the only pre candidate for the coming Argentine presidential election that seems to be picking up support according to the latest opinion poll published in Buenos Aires last weekend.
  Forecasting an upturn in Argentina; Pending differences with the IMF

• Sunday, October 27th 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Mexico ? Oil / Venezuela - Court

  Mexico could increase oil production in the event of a war in Iraq, the director of state-owned Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) said yesterday.

• Friday, October 25th 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Mercosur, top priority for Lula

  Reconstruction of Mercosur, following its two largest members Argentina and Brazil economic crisis, will become “the main priority of our foreign policy”, wrote Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, most certainly Brazil's next president in this coming Sunday's runoff.

• Thursday, October 24th 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Confidence in da Silva policy lifts markets

  Brazilian financial markets rose strongly on Wednesday morning amid growing expectations that an incoming Workers' party (PT) government may be able to maintain economic stability and advance structural reforms.

• Wednesday, October 23rd 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  News from South America

  Chile opens to Argentine beef; Military rattling in Venezuela; Argentina reviews Antarctic operation; Antarctic climbing expedition;

• Tuesday, October 22nd 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Breaking News from South America

  Peronist summit; Confrontation in Venezuela worsens; Chile confident about Lula

• Monday, October 21st 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Ireland paves the way for EU enlargement

  Ireland overwhelmingly supported last Saturday the key Treaty of Nice that paves the way for the expansion of the European Union beginning January 2004. With all ballots counted 62,49% of voters said Yes, with no electoral circumscription voting against as happened a year ago when a similar vote rejected the Treaty.

• Monday, October 21st 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Pinochet plan to poison Buenos Aires water

  The sentencing of several Chilean Army officers found guilty of killing a former intelligence scientist involved in biological warfare revealed General Pinochet regime's plans to poison Buenos Aires drinking water reserves in the event of a war back in 1978.

• Monday, October 21st 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile and Brazil's military power

  Chile that recently purchased American built F-16 fighter bombers and Brazil the only country with an aircraft carrier are the main military concerns in Latinamerica according to the latest report “Military balance 2002/2003” by the International Institute of Strategic Studies, IISS.

• Monday, October 21st 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Populist win in Ecuador

  A former Colonel Lucio Gutiérrez is leading with 20,28% of the vote in Ecuador's tightest ever presidential election trailed by the country's wealthiest man, Alvaro Noboa with 17,41%, when over 95% of the vote count has concluded, according to the latest report of the Electoral Tribunal.