Politics

• Monday, December 18th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Uruguay pleased to end military custody of disputed pulp mill

  Uruguay confirmed Monday it would willingly withdraw military personnel stationed in the perimeter of the Botnia-Orion pulp mill under construction, following a request from the Finnish company.

• Monday, December 18th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Chile/UK permanent high level political dialogue

  

  Chile and the Great Britain agreed Monday to set up permanent high level political dialogue and increase bilateral cooperation between the two countries. Collaboration will focus on energy, environmental and social issues.

• Sunday, December 17th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Astori: “there's no way Mercosur can advance”

  

  Uruguay accused Argentina of violating Mercosur regulations and Brazil of passive complicity by not reacting, and under these circumstances “there's no way Mercosur can advance”, claimed Uruguayan Minister of Economy Danilo Astori.

• Saturday, December 16th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Protests spark clashes in Bolivia

  At least 50 people were injured on Friday in a clash between supporters and opponents of Bolivian President Evo Morales' government, according local press reports.

• Saturday, December 16th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Chavez denies Castro cancer claim

  

  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has dismissed suggestions that Cuban leader and ally Fidel Castro has cancer, but said he was fighting a serious illness.

• Saturday, December 16th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Pulp mill conflict widens Mercosur rift

  

  Escalating mutual recriminations and complaints between Argentina and Uruguay signaled the first day of deliberations at the Mercosur ministerial meeting in Brasilia in the same week that the group officially inaugurated its Parliament.

• Friday, December 15th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  US/Venezuela address after-election “new reality”

  

  Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro met U.S. ambassador William Brownfield, seeking to ease years of diplomatic tension as President Hugo Chavez prepares to begin a second, six-year term.

• Thursday, December 14th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Uruguay committed to Mercosur, but disputes persist

  

  Uruguay's Foreign Affairs minister Reinaldo Gargano said Uruguayan farmers are interested in remaining in Mercosur in spite of the growing difficulties to solve the asymmetries between big and small country members and bilateral disputes.

• Thursday, December 14th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Ban Ki-Moon sworn is as new UN Secretary General

  

  South Korea's Ban Ki-Moon was sworn in on Thursday, before the 192-member General Assembly, as the next United Nations Secretary-General while outgoing Kofi Annan who held the job for ten years was given a prolonged tribute.

• Thursday, December 14th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Another Venezuelan ambassador on the tight rope

  

  With mounting tension between the Bolivian government and four of the country's nine provinces pressing for regional autonomy, Venezuela's ambassador caused a political seism when he admitted the possibility of sending Venezuelan troops in support of the administration of President Evo Morales.