Mercosur

• Tuesday, December 24th 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazil's President-Elect Names Cabinet

  President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva completed his cabinet Monday, naming 12 new ministers including a former presidential rival and a popular musician.

• Monday, December 23rd 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentina starts to see positive signs

  A year ago Monday, Argentina committed the biggest sovereign debt default in history. Last week it claimed the country's four-year recession was over.

• Sunday, December 22nd 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  Venezuela tanker delivers oil shipment

  Oil workers and a crew loyal to the government of Hugo Chávez, the Venezuelan president, began unloading fuel on Sunday from the Pilín León, a strike-bound tanker containing 280,000 barrels of gasoline, at a distribution terminal near the western city of Maracaibo.

• Saturday, December 21st 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentina: IMF Lending Program; Riot Anniversary

• Friday, December 20th 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  OAS: Venez. govt and opposition talk of election for first time

  OAS Secretary General Cesar Gaviria announced Thursday that Venezuelan government and opposition representatives spoke for the first time about an electoral solution to the country's ongoing political crisis.

• Friday, December 20th 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  Clarin newspaper owner placed under house arrest

  The owner of Argentina's largest newspaper was placed under house arrest Friday while investigators look into whether she adopted children taken from prisoners of the 1976-1983 military regime.

• Thursday, December 19th 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  Hot News

  Headlines: Peronist primary February 23rd; Lula confirms current policies; Latinamerica's economy contracts; 39 billion US dollars capital flight.

• Wednesday, December 18th 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  Hot News from Argentina - Brazil & Chile

  Headlines: Lavagna announces end of recession; Second thoughts about free trade agreement; Sales to Argentina and Brazil drop 38%; Modest 2% growth in Chile

• Tuesday, December 17th 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  Lagos government looses majority in the Senate

  Chilean president Ricardo Lagos admitted his administration has lost control of the Senate following the decision of Senator Nelson Avila to “freeze” his relation with the ruling coalition. Mr. Lagos is confronted with a growing political crisis since several Congressmen from the ruling coalition face possible conviction for corruption charges and illegal party financing.

• Tuesday, December 17th 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  Chile hails trade deal as finest moment

  After two years of negotiations, Chile and the US have agreed a broad bilateral agreement which has been hailed in Santiago as the finest moment in more than a decade of aggressive pursuit of trade deals.