Mercosur

• Tuesday, April 16th 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  IMF “blooper”

  The International Monetary Fund, IMF, was involved in a diplomatic “mishap” last week when it became the first multilateral institution in recognizing a Venezuelan government that lasted just over 24 hours.

• Tuesday, April 16th 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile: Blame Congress

  In spite of progress in the last round of free trade talks between United States and Chile, held in Santiago, the lack of the Trade Promotion Authority, TPA, (the former “fast track”), is becoming a growing hurdle for a definitive agreement.

• Monday, April 15th 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Plea for Argentina

  Mercosur Congressional representatives requested an “urgent definition” from the International Monetary Fund, IMF, regarding financial support for beleaguered Argentina.

• Sunday, April 14th 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Chavez Freed, Returns to Venezuela

  Hugo Chavez was freed by his military captors and returned to reclaim the Venezuelan presidency Sunday, in a dramatic restoration of power two days after the military said he had resigned.

• Saturday, April 13th 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Rio Group Summit end in Costa Rica.

  The 16th Rio Group Summit ended Friday in Costa Rica with a call for a reduction in defense spending in order to better fight poverty.

• Saturday, April 13th 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Carmona sworn in, vows to restore Venezuelan democracy

  Vowing to restore Venezuelan democracy, business leader Pedro Carmona was sworn in Friday as the nation's interim president following the ouster of Hugo Chavez.

• Friday, April 12th 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Venezuela's Chavez Resigns Under Military Pressure.

  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez resigned on Friday after senior military officers insisted the flamboyant ex-paratrooper leave office, blaming him for violence against a huge anti-Chavez protest in which at least 10 people were killed.

• Wednesday, April 10th 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  US-Uruguay kick-off

  Uruguayan and United States trade officials signed this week in Montevideo the starting agreement for trade and investment promotion that eventually could lead to a full free trade agreement between both countries.

• Tuesday, April 9th 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  IMF and Argentina closer

  Argentina and the IMF delegation currently in Buenos Aires agreed to find a monitoring and control mechanism to ensure that the targets of the “federal fiscal” pact and honored and provincial deficits are effectively reduced.

• Tuesday, April 9th 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Contingency loan for Brazil

  The International Monetary Fund approved a 15 billion US dollars additional contingency loan for Brazil, following the satisfactory perfomance of the Brazilian economy, according to a release from the multilateral organization.