
Argentina’s inflation advanced 0.9% in August and 6.8% in the first eight months of the year according to the controversial official stats office Indec. Whole sale prices were up 1% over July and the construction cost increased 1.3%.

Uruguayan former presidents Jorge Batlle and Luis Alberto Lacalle came in support of the current Paraguayan authorities and political process and claimed the only “coup” was that of Mercosur against Paraguay. They also questioned the removed president Fernando Lugo’s ‘pitiful reaction’ and statements.

Standard & Poor’s credit risk rating agency improved the prospects of Paraguay, removing the country from credit-watch where it had been placed with negative implications last June 25 when the political situation that removed Fernando Lugo as president and subsequent suspension of Paraguay from Mercosur.

Latin American Minerals Inc., Lampa, announced on Wednesday the delivery of the first gold doré bar produced at its Paso Yobai Gold Project pilot plant in Paraguay, to the Johnson Matthey Ltd. gold refinery in Brampton, Ontario.

By Eric Stadius, Research Associate at Council on Hemispheric Affairs and Peter Tase, Research Fellow at Council on Hemispheric Affairs.Two months after President Fernando Lugo’s impeachment, Paraguay has transitioned from reconciling its relatively benign political crisis to enhancing regional and international links politically and economically.

The OAS, Organization of American States, cabinet chief and head of political affairs are expected in Paraguay to continue with the organization’s mandate of establishing an electoral committee and helping with the process of strengthening democracy in the country.

The Paraguayan Senate, at the heart of serious regional diplomatic dispute, voted by a solid majority against the incorporation of Venezuela as full member of Mercosur. Thirty one Senators rejected the Venezuelan Protocol of Adhesion, three supported it and eleven left the floor before the vote was taken.

The Organization of American States (OAS) agreed on Wednesday to dispatch of a mission to Paraguay to accompany and observe the electoral process in the country that will conclude with the general elections of April 21, 2013.

“We must prepare for war to live in peace” said Paraguay’s Defence minister Maria Liz Garcia in reference to the new geopolitical situation following the suspension of Paraguay as a member of Mercosur and Unasur.

Paraguay officially announced holding elections on April 2013, when a new president and congress will be voted. The three branches of government attended the launching of the announcement that took place at the Superior Electoral Justice Tribunal on Tuesday, one day ahead of the OAS Permanent Council debate on “the Paraguayan situation”.