Paraguay

• Friday, March 25th 2011 - 02:17 UTC

  Academic seminar in Paraguay to celebrate 20 years of Mercosur

  

  An academic seminar “20 years of Mercosur” will be the main celebration of the twentieth anniversary of the South American trade block, unable to convene political figures from the four full member countries to commemorate the 26 March 1991 founding charter or Asuncion Treaty.

• Tuesday, March 22nd 2011 - 22:17 UTC

  Brazilian president conditions pending visit to Paraguay

  

  President Dilma Rousseff will not be visiting Paraguay until the Brazilian Congress approves the Itaipú reversal notes which establish a greater compensation for surplus power purchased from Paraguay by Latin America’s energy hungry largest economy.

• Tuesday, March 22nd 2011 - 19:46 UTC

  Paraguay’s “sausage-making” foreign policy has a new minister, Lara Castro

  

  Paraguay has a new Foreign Affaire minister, Jorge Lara Castro who until now was Deputy to Hector Lacognata and who had presented his resignation three weeks ago.

• Tuesday, March 22nd 2011 - 08:48 UTC

  “Not even dressed as Father Christmas” will Chavez make it to Mercosur

  

  “Not even dressed as Father Christmas can president Hugo Chavez make Venezuela become a member of Mercosur”, according to a 2009 Wikileaks cable quoting Paraguay’s Foreign Affairs minister Hector Lacognata during an informal talk with US ambassador in Asuncion Liliana Ayalde.

• Tuesday, March 8th 2011 - 02:05 UTC

  Uruguayan investors purchased 1.1 million hectares in the Paraguayan Chaco

  

  Uruguayan investors have purchased an estimated 1.1 million hectares in the Paraguayan Chaco, (heartland of landlocked Paraguay) in spite of the fact land prices have quadrupled in the last two years. The record year was 2010 with 200.000 hectares.

• Thursday, March 3rd 2011 - 21:48 UTC

  Venezuela, Mercosur, Unasur top of the agenda for Paraguay’s Congress

  

  The Paraguayan government announced Thursday it will insist with the Congressional approval of Venezuela’s incorporation to Mercosur, which remains stalled at the country’s Legislative branch.

• Monday, February 28th 2011 - 01:21 UTC

  Paraguay exported more beef than Argentina in 2010

  

  Paraguay overtook Argentina as beef exporter in 2010 confirming the country’s loss of leadership in the world’s meat markets, according to reports in the Argentine and Paraguayan media.

• Friday, February 18th 2011 - 04:43 UTC

  Paraguay fearful of “Brazilian dominance” reveals Wikileaks cable

  

  Paraguay expressed deep concern about “Brazilian dominance” in South America, reveals a diplomatic cable exposed by Wikileaks and reproduced this week by the Brazilian portal ‘Opera Mundi’.

• Monday, February 14th 2011 - 21:50 UTC

  Political agreement in Paraguay to impose export levies on soybeans and beef

  

  The Paraguayan government is working with Congress to agree on budget cuts and possible tax increases, (levies on beef and soybean exports) that should help balance 2011 expenditure and revenue.

• Tuesday, February 8th 2011 - 01:08 UTC

  EU top official says “this is the moment” for a trade agreement with Mercosur

  

  European Union Trade commissioner Karel de Gutch said Monday he strongly believes the EU will reach a trade agreement with Mercosur because “this is the moment” and both sides are committed to conclude negotiations positively.