Paraguay

• Wednesday, January 20th 2010 - 06:43 UTC

  Venezuela will become Mercosur fifth full member “next March”

  

  Venezuela’s incorporation to Mercosur will be completed next March according to ABN news agency from Caracas. Apparently the formality will take place in the second week of March following the end of the Paraguayan congressional recess.

• Thursday, January 7th 2010 - 16:45 UTC

  Paraguay’s Vice-president contrary to Venezuela joining Mercosur

  

  Paraguay’s Vice-president Federico Franco said he was contrary to Venezuela’s incorporation to Mercosur as long as Hugo Chavez is president accusing him of having “imperial attitudes” towards the land-locked country.

• Thursday, December 31st 2009 - 03:07 UTC

  Venezuela’s Mercosur incorporation will help “dilute Brazilian hegemony”

  

  The incorporation of Venezuela to Mercosur will help dilute the Brazil-Argentina hegemony and will be beneficial for small countries said Paraguay’s Foreign Affairs minister Héctor Lacognata on Wednesday chatting with foreign correspondents.

• Wednesday, December 23rd 2009 - 08:28 UTC

  Paraguay economy contracts 0.3% in third quarter confirming strong recession

  

  Paraguay’s GDP in the third quarter contracted 0.3% compared a year ago confirming the country’s recession, according to the latest report from the Central Bank. However the performance was an improvement compared to the drop of previous quarters, which “could be anticipating the recovery of the economy for the coming year”.

• Wednesday, December 23rd 2009 - 06:13 UTC

  Brazil not pressing Paraguay on Venezuela’s Mercosur incorporation

  

  The Brazilian government is not putting pressure on the Paraguayan Congress to vote the full incorporation of Venezuela to Mercosur. Paraguay is the only remaining full member which still has to vote for Venezuela to join the South American trade block, following last week’s Brazilian senate divided approval.

• Monday, December 21st 2009 - 13:09 UTC

  Mercosur: Chavez sends “peace” message to Paraguayan Senate

  

  President Hugo Chavez said he was hopeful the Paraguayan congress would vote for Venezuela to join Mercosur since Paraguay is one of the countires to “most benefit” from such an incorporation.

• Friday, December 18th 2009 - 10:53 UTC

  Paraguay could vote on Venezuela’s Mercosur incorporation after summer recess

  

  Paraguayan Congress will remain blocking Venezuela's entry into Mercosur trade bloc “as long as President Hugo Chávez continues intervening in foreign affairs”, stated the head of the Senate, Miguel Carrizosa, just a day after Brazilian lawmakers approved the incorporation. However his successor in the job affirms the opposite.

• Thursday, December 17th 2009 - 03:05 UTC

  Brazil strong message to Paraguay on support of Venezuela inside Mercosur

  

  Following this week’s Brazilian Senate vote to for the incorporation of Venezuela as a Mercosur full member, only Paraguay’s support is pending, but the Paraguayan Senate is divided on the issue. More over President Fernando Lugo had to withdraw the initiative last August when he was informed the divided coalition that took him to office could not garner the sufficient votes to ensure support.

• Tuesday, December 15th 2009 - 14:12 UTC

  Rio Tinto Alcan planning a 2.5 billion USD aluminium smelter in Paraguay

  

  Rio Tinto Alcan, a unit of global mining giant Rio Tinto said on Monday it could invest up to 2.5 billion US dollars in a potential aluminium smelter in Paraguay. Rio Tinto Alcan said it had begun negotiations on a possible power purchase agreement for the potential smelter.

• Tuesday, December 1st 2009 - 07:33 UTC

  Paraguayan Senate “freezes” Venezuela’s Mercosur incorporation

  

  The Paraguayan Senate is also turning its back on Venezuela’s president Hugo Chavez Mercosur incorporation request. A leading Senator from the ruling coalition said that under current circumstances, and Chavez latest statements makes it “virtually impossible” to decide on the issue.