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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, April 22nd 2026 - 08:12 UTC

Politics

  • Friday, May 11th 2018 - 09:05 UTC

    Despite legal setbacks, Lula reiterates his intention to run for a third presidential term

    In a letter addressed to Senator Gleisi Hoffmann, president of the Workers' Party, Lula said that he remains intent on running in the October elections.

    Brazil's former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva reiterated on Thursday his intention to run for a third presidential term. Lula was jailed on April 7 and is serving a sentence of 12 years and one month for corruption and money laundering.

  • Friday, May 11th 2018 - 08:35 UTC

    Paraguay's president “soul brother” accused by Brazil of money laundering

    A Brazilian financial crimes prosecutor on Wednesday accused the president's friend, Dario Messer, of money laundering and criminal association.

    Paraguayan authorizes have issued an arrest warrant for a man President Horacio Cartes has described as his “soul brother” as part of a sweeping investigation into corruption in Latin America.

  • Friday, May 11th 2018 - 06:29 UTC

    Argentine stock market climbs 6% and the exchange market operates cautiously

    Finance Minister Luis Caputo said the IMF deal would guarantee financing through the end of President Macri's first term in December 2019

    Argentine equities rallied on Thursday, while the country's peso currency was stable, as the central bank sold foreign currency reserves in the spot market for the first time since the country announced it was seeking financing from the IMF.

  • Friday, May 11th 2018 - 06:12 UTC

    Bank of England leaves interest rates unchanged, slashes 2018 growth prospects

    Governor Mark Carney said the Bank believed the “underlying pace of growth remains more resilient than the headline data suggest”. (Pic Bloomberg)

    The Bank of England has backed off from raising interest rates as it slashed 2018 growth forecasts, but said the economy would bounce back from a weather-hit “soft patch”. Policymakers kept the prospect of rate hikes firmly on the cards, although it sparked confusion over when the next increase may come.

  • Friday, May 11th 2018 - 05:39 UTC

    IMF and White House support Macri's economic reform program

    “I stressed my strong support for Argentina's reforms to date, and expressed the Fund's readiness to continue to assist the government,” Lagarde said

    International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde said on Thursday she is ready to aid Argentina and wants talks on a financing package to be finalized quickly. Lagarde said she instructed the IMF team to continue discussions on a loan program with the goal to “reach a rapid conclusion.”

  • Thursday, May 10th 2018 - 18:14 UTC

    Falklands delegation travels to Buenos Aires for fishery talks and data exchange

    The two days meeting will discuss fish and squid stocks in the South Atlantic, and the possibility of resuming the exchange of scientific fisheries

    Next Monday, 14 May 2018 four representatives from the Falkland Islands Government’s Natural Resources Department will be part of a UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office lead delegation meeting with the Government of Argentina, in Buenos Aires, to begin two days of discussions on fish and squid stocks in the South Atlantic, and the possibility of resuming the exchange of scientific fisheries data for the benefit of the region.

  • Thursday, May 10th 2018 - 08:28 UTC

    Swedish PM to testify in corruption case involving sale of 36 fighter jets to Brazil

    Lofven will be asked in a Swedish court about contacts with Brazil’s ex presidents Rousseff and Lula da Silva regarding the purchase of Saab Gripen fighters

    Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven has been summoned to testify next month as a witness in a Brazilian corruption case involving the purchase of fighter jets by Brazil, the Stockholm District Court said on Wednesday. Lofven will be asked in a Swedish court about his contacts with Brazil’s former presidents Dilma Rousseff and Lula da Silva regarding the country’s purchase of Saab Gripen fighters in a deal struck five years ago.

  • Thursday, May 10th 2018 - 07:37 UTC

    Argentine minister meets IMF Lagarde and US Treasury official: ratifies “gradualism”

    Nicolas Dujovne is due to meet with IMF chief Christine Lagarde to request a financing package

    Argentina Economy Minister Nicolas Dujovne is due to meet on Thursday with IMF chief Christine Lagarde to request a financing package to help shore up the struggling economy, officials said. Dujovne will also meet with a senior US Treasury official in a key step in the talks with the IMF, which are likely to last six weeks, his spokesman said in a statement.

  • Thursday, May 10th 2018 - 07:28 UTC

    Falklands caught in the post Brexit Galileo space controversy

    Michael Barnier, Brussels chief Brexit negotiator, triggered the controversy when he argued UK companies should be excluded from the Galileo project

    United Kingdom ministers are unilaterally considering stopping EU access to the Galileo satellite earth station in the Falklands and Ascension, according to reports in the UK press. The move comes after Brussels chief Brexit negotiator, Michael Barnier, stated that UK companies would have to be excluded from the development of sensitive Galileo infrastructure following Brexit due to security concerns.

  • Wednesday, May 9th 2018 - 20:19 UTC

    US Dollar rises: Uruguay behind Argentina

    The exchange houses in the center of Montevideo today marked up to 31.70 Uruguayan pesos per dollar, a rise of 2.08% compared to Monday - the highest in five years. Photo: Sebastián Astorga

    After several days up in Argentina, the devaluation of the Argentine peso and the rise of the US dollar have had some impact on the other side of the River Plate, where the exchange houses of downtown Montevideo marked on Wednesday the value of the currency up to 31,70 Uruguayan pesos per dollar, a rise of 2.08% compared to Monday —the highest in five years—. For the Uruguayan government, the country follows the global trend and calls for calm, beyond the noise generated in Argentina, which is beginning a dialogue between the Finance Minister, Nicolás Dujovne, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington.