Paraguay

• Wednesday, October 30th 2013 - 07:22 UTC

  In a further step to normalize relations Paraguay names new ambassador to Venezuela

  

  Paraguay has named veteran diplomat Enrique Jara as new ambassador in Venezuela, giving a further step towards the full normalization of relations that had been interrupted since July 2012 when the two countries expelled their respective accredited staff.

• Monday, October 28th 2013 - 20:30 UTC

  Cartes and Rousseff to open vital supply power line for Paraguay's capital built with Mercosur funds

  

  Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff will inaugurate on Tuesday in Paraguay next to his peer Horacio Cartes a high voltage transmission line from the world's largest operational hydroelectric dam Itaipú to metropolitan Asuncion, capital of the landlocked country and which was financed with Mercosur funds.

• Saturday, October 26th 2013 - 04:59 UTC

  Paraguay will lead Mercosur trade negotiations with the EU next December

  

  The Paraguayan foreign affairs ministry will represent Mercosur next December when the exchange of proposals with the European Union for a long pending free trade agreement, announced Uruguayan president Jose Mujica on Friday following private talks with his visiting peer from Paraguay, Horacio Cartes.

• Saturday, October 26th 2013 - 00:39 UTC

  Cartes pledges motivation and support for those who help create wealth and jobs

  

  President Horacio Cartes said on Friday he wanted “a reliable and serious Paraguay, full of self esteem” taking advantage of the good economic times and pledged motivation and support for all those who help generate wealth and jobs for the country. However he also admitted that Paraguay has serious failings, “but problems are challenges and opportunities”.

• Saturday, October 26th 2013 - 00:25 UTC

  Paraguayan president ratifies full political support for Mercosur

  

  President Horacio Cartes although admitting he is heart and mind committed to Mercosur, Paraguay's full return to Mercosur is in the hands of diplomacy since as head of state he must abide strictly by the rule of the law.

• Tuesday, October 22nd 2013 - 16:34 UTC

  Cartes and Mujica will address Mercosur and port facilities in Friday's meeting in Montevideo

  

  Paraguayan president Horacio Cartes will be visiting Uruguay next 25 October to meet with his peer Jose Mujica and a month later will be flying to the Vatican to visit Pope Francis, November 25, announced Foreign minister Eladio Loizaga.

• Monday, October 21st 2013 - 05:30 UTC

  Brazil confident Paraguay will be returning to Mercosur before the end of the year

  

  Brazil trusts Paraguay will fully return to Mercosur before the end of the year, said Brazil's Executive foreign policy advisor Marco Aurelio Garcia in a Sunday edition interview with the influential Folha de Sao Paulo.

• Thursday, October 17th 2013 - 20:24 UTC

  Paraguay’s economy roaring ahead is estimated to expand 13.6% this year

  

  Paraguay’s central bank increased the country’s growth estimate for 2013 from 13% to 13.6%, the highest for Latinamerica. Estimates have been on the increase since October last year, 9.5%; December, 10.5%; April 13% and now, 13.6% which compares to the 0.9% contraction of 2012, when drought and Foot and Mouth Disease hit Paraguay’s main export items, soybeans and beef.

• Friday, October 11th 2013 - 13:11 UTC

  Paraguay congress votes 10% export tax on grains and soybeans. Cartes expected to veto the bill

  

  A controversial bill imposing a 10% tax on grains and oil seeds exported in their natural state was finally approved by the Paraguayan congress. The bill presented in 2012 was passed in the Senate, rejected in the Lower House and again ratified by the Upper House, however Deputies could not round up the necessary 53 votes to again reject it.

• Thursday, October 10th 2013 - 02:34 UTC

  Venezuela insists in re-establishing full relations with Paraguay, but legal obstacles remain

  

  Venezuela and Paraguay need to re-establish full relations and overcome “all the obstacles that need to be overcome”, said Foreign minister Elías Jaua currently in Asunción, a special guest of his counterpart Eladio Loizaga.