Foot and mouth Mercosur experts and veterinary services are meeting this week in Paraguay to consider the situation in the area plus special reports from the Andean and Amazon regions.
Carnival is over and life usually returns to normal in Brazil. Or should do so. But in 2002 Latinamerica's most populous country and the world's ninth economy will be holding general elections, and a successor for President Fernando Cardoso, who is barred from a third mandate, must be found.
Sponsored by the United Nations Development Agency political leaders from Latinamerican countries are meeting in Buenos Aires to discuss the recovery of electorates trust in political parties, democracy transparency and how to improve living conditions of the people
Ricardo López Murphy, an orthodox and experienced economist who believes in balanced budgets is Argentina's new Economy Minister. The former Defence Secretary replaces José Machinea who was unable in his fifteen months tenure, to pull Argentina from a two and a half years recession in spite of a massive international 40 billion contingency assistance.
Access to the United States market is vital for Uruguay's recovery, so this country will negotiate bilateral trade agreements with the US and Canada if the Free Trade Association of the Americas, FTAA, initiative does not move ahead.
Beginning this week eleven million head of cattle will be vaccinated in Argentina against foot and mouth disease in an attempt to reinforce measures against any further outbreaks as happened last August.
In an ever increasingly inter twined financial world, particularly concerning emerging markets, the impact of the Turkish crisis that was forced to float its currency and receive support assurances from United States, reached Latinamerican markets, mainly Argentina.