Paraguay

• Saturday, December 12th 2015 - 02:55 UTC

  All presidents confirmed attendance of Mercosur summit, including Macri and Maduro

  

  The presidents of Mercosur member-countries have confirmed attendance to the group's summit scheduled for next 21 December and hosted by Paraguay, the country that currently holds the rotating chair, according to diplomatic sources in Asuncion.

• Friday, December 4th 2015 - 05:55 UTC

  Mercosur waiting for EU proposal; summit to be held at Conmebol convention centre

  

  Mercosur is waiting for the European Union to decide when to begin the exchange of tariff-reduction proposals with the purpose of reaching an encompassing trade and cooperation agreement, despite France's objections to the move, said Rigoberto Gauto, Paraguay's deputy foreign minister. Paraguay currently holds the Mercosur chair and leads negotiations with Brussels.

• Wednesday, November 25th 2015 - 08:22 UTC

  Mercosur ready to begin political negotiations for the trade agreement with the European Union

  

  Mercosur is only waiting for the European Union to begin the political negotiations on the long delayed overall trade agreement, announced Paraguay's foreign minister Eladio Loizaga in Asunción, just back from Brussels where he met with EU and Belgian officials.

• Wednesday, November 18th 2015 - 07:24 UTC

  Setback for president Cartes: center-left coalition takes control of Paraguay's capital Asunción

  

  Paraguay’s ruling conservative party lost the mayor’s office in the capital Asunción on Sunday in a surprise midterm setback for President Horacio Cartes. Popular TV presenter Mario Ferreiro defeated incumbent Arnaldo Samaniego of the president’s Colorado party, 50.99% to 40.56%, according to official results with all ballots counted.

• Friday, November 6th 2015 - 11:26 UTC

  OAS observers for Paraguay municipal election on 15 November

  

  The Organization of American States (OAS) will deploy an Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) for the 15 November municipal elections in Paraguay, according to the agreement signed between OAS and Paraguay.

• Wednesday, November 4th 2015 - 08:18 UTC

  Mercosur summit on 21 December; Uruguay takes the helm for next six months

  

  Mercosur heads of state next summit is scheduled for 21 December in Asunción, Paraguay, the country currently holding the group's chair. At the meeting the six-month rotating chair will be handed to Uruguay for the first half of 2016.

• Wednesday, October 21st 2015 - 06:45 UTC

  Mercosur and EU closer to begin negotiations; exchange of proposals will be under reserve

  

  Once Mercosur and the European Union conclude their exchange of goods and tariff reduction proposals for the long awaited trade agreement, contents of the deal will be kept in reserve while negotiations are ongoing, with no access to media or public opinion, anticipated Paraguayan foreign minister Eladio Loizaga.

• Wednesday, September 9th 2015 - 07:29 UTC

  Paraguay refuses to acknowledge US$ 85m debt from dictator's time

  

  Paraguay’s three branches of government agreed on Monday that Asuncion bears no obligation to repay $85 million borrowed by a representative of the late Gen. Alfredo Stroessner during the waning years of the 1954-1989 military regime.

• Thursday, August 13th 2015 - 03:37 UTC

  Mercosur's Paraguay meeting to iron out proposal to present to Europe

  

  Technical teams from Mercosur country members are scheduled to meet next Tuesday in Paraguay to iron out the final proposal to be presented by the group to the European Union for the long delayed trade and cooperation agreement. The meeting in Asunción will be headed by Rigoberto Gauto, who is currently the Mercosur coordinator since Paraguay holds this half year the rotating chair.

• Thursday, July 16th 2015 - 09:28 UTC

  Paraguay, as chair of the group, determined to return Mercosur to 'its roots'

  

  Paraguay is committed to return Mercosur to 'its roots', reach an agreement on some of the original fundamentals, eliminate restrictions to inter-trade and strongly promote the trade accord with the European Union. This is scheduled to take place in the coming six months once Paraguay is handed Mercosur' chair at the group's midyear presidential summit that begins on Thursday in Brasilia.