
Ten European countries, fearing the impact on agriculture, are openly challenging the EU decision to resume trade talks with Mercosur which is to be officially announced next Monday when the opening of the Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union Summit in Spain.

The new British Foreign Secretary William Hague lost no time in declaring that he would run a “distinctively British foreign policy.”

The Bolivian government confirmed this week that it has bought a luxury airplane model Dassault Falcon 900Ex Easy that originally belonged to Manchester United. The admission came in the midst of growing social unrest to protest for a higher national minimum wage.

Peru became the fifth country to ratify the Union of South American Nations founding treaty, which means the organization is now only four short for the nine to become legally effective.

The European Union asked Argentina not to restrict food imports, which was reported by manufacturers and producers. Manufacturing sources said that restrictions began being applied in the last few days on products that are also elaborated locally, in a non-written measure that primarily affects the EU and Brazil.

Under pressure from Europe to deliver (shape up or ship out) Spain's PM has outlined a plan to tackle the country's budget crisis, amid concerns that problems afflicting Greece may spread across the Eurozone.

With less than three weeks to Colombia’s May 30 presidential election, the incumbent candidate Juan Manuel Santos has recovered lost ground and the surprise hopeful Antanas Mockus with his “green tide” has fallen back with opinion polls showing a technical draw.

Chile’s president Sebastian Piñera has a busy schedule planned for the upcoming Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union Summit scheduled for Madrid early next week. Piñera will use the opportunity to explain exactly what he wants to do with his four years of presidency.

United States shares closed lower on Tuesday as global stock markets stalled on niggling worries over European debt problems. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones index closed down 0.34% following a turbulent day's trading, and a nearly 4% rise on Monday.

Argentine Economy Minister Amado Boudou held a meeting Tuesday with 40 international investors at the New York Palace Hotel, within the framework of his United States road show to encourage bondholders to join the Government's debt-swap.