Mercosur

• Saturday, August 11th 2001 - 21:00 UTC

  Warnings of “social anarchy”.

  The influential Argentine Catholic Church warned that the current economic situation in the country could lead to “social anarchy of unsuspected consequences”.

• Friday, August 10th 2001 - 21:00 UTC

  Explosive report in Argentine Congress.

  A preliminary report on money laundering, drug trafficking, tax evasion, illegal sales of weapons, suspicious paychecks in the privatization process, involving former president Menem's administration and the current Alianza government was made public in the Argentine Congress by a dissident Radical Deputy.

• Wednesday, August 8th 2001 - 21:00 UTC

  South American faces “Crisis of confidence”.

• Sunday, August 5th 2001 - 21:00 UTC

  IMF will advance loan to Argentina.

  International Monetary Fund Director General, Horst Koehler announced he will recommend an accelerated disbursement of a 1,2 billion US dollars loan to Argentina, once the IMF mission currently in Buenos Aires, ends its review of the country's austerity program.

• Sunday, August 5th 2001 - 21:00 UTC

  Treasury vs Wall Street.

  Argentina could be the victim of a strong dispute between the US Treasury and Wall Street who are odds over investments in emerging markets bonds, where returns are greater but not necessarily the risks, according to some US economists.

• Sunday, August 5th 2001 - 21:00 UTC

  “A lesson not to forget”

  In a surprisingly forceful, and candid, speech during the official inauguration of the annual Palermo Agricultural Show, President Fernando De la Rúa vigorously promoted the “zero-deficit” austerity package and also admitted a cover up operation regarding foot and mouth disease.

• Tuesday, July 31st 2001 - 21:00 UTC

  A sigh of relief

  Argentine and regional markets reacted favorably after the Argentine Senate approved an austerity package aimed at balancing the budget, stimulating the economy and bringing some relief to foreign investors who fear the country might default on its 130 billion debt.

• Monday, July 30th 2001 - 21:00 UTC

  Full support for Argentina.

  Mercosur presidents meeting in Lima, Peru, expressed their full support to the Argentine administration of President Fernando De la Rúa and its zero-deficit target.

• Sunday, July 29th 2001 - 21:00 UTC

  Bolivian president resigns.

  Bolivian president Hugo Banzer seriously ill with cancer and under medical treatment in United States will officially resign next August 6th., the country's independence day.

• Sunday, July 29th 2001 - 21:00 UTC

  Toledo pledges full-scale war on poverty.

  With twelve heads of state present and the full support of the international community, Alejandro Toledo, the shoe shine boy turned economist and the first native Indian origin Peruvian president, took office Saturday July 28th. in Lima, pledging a full scale war on poverty.