Mercosur

• Thursday, September 22nd 2016 - 15:40 UTC

  Rousseff back on the political trail in defence of Lula da Silva

  

  Former President Dilma Rousseff called the prosecution of her predecessor on corruption charges another attack on Brazil's democracy, speaking just weeks after the Senate removed her from office in an impeachment trial.

• Thursday, September 22nd 2016 - 15:38 UTC

  Ex finance minister of Lula and Rousseff arrested in connection to Petrobras corruption

  

  Brazilian police on Thursday arrested Guido Mantega, a former finance minister under presidents Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff, as part of the investigation into the vast Petrobras corruption scheme, media reported.However Brazilian Judge Sergio Moro later in the day revoked the temporary detention order citing Mantega's cooperation with a search of his home and his wife's surgery in a Sao Paulo hospital.

• Tuesday, September 20th 2016 - 09:53 UTC

  Brazil and Uruguay agree on a Mercosur with “a greater open integration”

  

  President Tabare Vazquez confirmed on Monday that Uruguay will continue as “coordinator” of discussions between Mercosur and the European Union to reach a wide ranging trade agreement.

• Tuesday, September 20th 2016 - 04:55 UTC

  British MPs in Uruguay for the EuroLat American Assembly plenary session

  

  A delegation of British MPs are visiting Uruguay to attend the ninth plenary session of the Euro-Lat American Assembly which is taking place this week at the country´s Parliament house. The group includes Nigel Evans, Mark Menzies and Graham Stuart from the ruling Conservative party and Lindsay Hoyle and Lord Howarth of Newport from opposition Labour.

• Sunday, September 18th 2016 - 06:52 UTC

  Argentina/UK statement on Falklands and dialogue ”promising”, but Congress decides

  

  The recent Argentina/UK joint cooperation statement, with a chapter on the Falklands/Malvinas Islands, is “promising”, however much rests to be defined and agreed, and additional air links should be carried out by Argentina's flag carrier, according to Rosana Bertone, governor of the extreme south province of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and South Atlantic Islands.

• Friday, September 16th 2016 - 08:25 UTC

  Argentina (and Brazil) optimistic about a Mercosur/EU trade accord by the end of 2017

  

  The current critical situation of Mercosur is an opportunity to strengthen and advance trade negotiations, which could include the long delayed accord with the European Union by the end of 2017, according to Argentina's Secretary of Commerce, Miguel Braun.

• Thursday, September 15th 2016 - 10:40 UTC

  Uruguay admits “consensus support” to remove Venezuela from Mercosur rotating chair

  

  Uruguay's deputy foreign minister Jose Luis Cancela said that if Uruguay had not complied with the other Mercosur three founding members' joint declaration ignoring Venezuela's presidency and demanding it complies with the group's legislation and treaties, “Mercosur would have been launched into a period of full paralysis”.

• Wednesday, September 14th 2016 - 18:35 UTC

  Falklands welcomes UK/Argentina future cooperation agreement, which leaves sovereignty discussions out

  

  The Falkland Islands Government (FIG) welcomed the UK/Argentina future cooperation agreement to remove all obstacles limiting the economic growth and development of the Falkland Islands and points out it will be represented at future discussions on these matters, the removal of sanctions on hydrocarbons, fisheries, shipping and tourism, and underlines that “sovereignty of the Falkland Islands will not be part of these discussions”.

• Wednesday, September 14th 2016 - 08:28 UTC

  Venezuela could lose Mercosur membership if it does not comply with the block's rules

  

  Mercosur full members are working on a resolution calling on Venezuela to comply with all rules, regulations and international treaties of the block, which should be incorporated by next December, and if not the country could lose its membership, according to Uruguayan foreign minister Rodolfo Nin Novoa.

• Tuesday, September 13th 2016 - 19:56 UTC

  Brazil launches ambitious program to auction off oil, power and infrastructure concessions

  

  Brazil on Tuesday launched a multibillion-dollar plan to auction off oil, power rights and infrastructure concessions, in an attempt by the new government to bolster private investment in a moribund economy. The government will sell operating licenses for airports in the cities of Porto Alegre, Salvador, Florianopolis and Fortaleza by the first quarter of 2017. It also plans to sell rights to operate federal roads in the center-west and south regions later next year.