
After Brazil and the United Kingdom agreed during COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, last month to join forces in decarbonizing industries in both countries in a move to protect the environment, Agência Brasil delved this weekend into the scope of such an understanding.

The Government of Paraguay insisted Friday that it would proceed to the expulsion of Chinese diplomat Xu Wei from the country should he fail to leave by Saturday after his visa was revoked. Migrations Director Jorge Kronawetter explained that after the measure Xu lost his right to enter or stay in the country and has 24 hours to leave.

Panamian President José Raúl Mulino Friday signed his country's accession to the Southern Common Market as an associate State during the bloc's 65th Leaders Summit in Montevideo, on the sidelines of which the finalization of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU) was also announced.

The South American Common Market (Mercosur) and the European Union announced Friday in Montevideo the final signing of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between both blocs, thus creating the largest and most populated commerce zone worldwide. The understanding was reached after 25 years of negotiations and despite France's reluctance.

In one of the last significant moments of his five-year term ending Feb. 28, Uruguay's President Luis Lacalle Pou handed over the rotating chair of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) to his Argentine colleague Javier Milei as the bloc's 65th Leader's Summit concluded in Montevideo.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva Thursday decorated former Uruguayan President José Pepe Mujica (2010-2015) with the National Order of the Southern Cross on the sidelines of the two-day Mercosur Summit in Montevideo, Agencia Brasil reported. Mujica, 89, had been granted a similar accolade earlier Thursday by Colombian President Gustavo Petro.

Momentum is building up in Montevideo as the presence of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen seems to herald the imminent signing of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) as Brussels needs to halt China's commercial expansion in the region while Donald Trump's return to the White House looms over.

Argentina's Central Bank (BCRA) announced Thursday a reduction in the basic interest rate (Nominal Annual Rate - TNA), from 35% to 32% while one for swaps will go down from 40% to 36%. The measure is effective as of Friday and impacts all fixed-term deposits.

Argentina's Supreme Court (CSJN) ruled Thursday that former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (CFK) and others should stand trial for signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Iran, thus upholding a previous decision by a Federal Court of Appeals.

The implementation of the European Union Deforestation Regulation bill has been postponed until the end of 2025, following a provisional political agreement this week, between the European Parliament and the European Council.