
Uruguay will continue “to look after” Mercosur in spite of the strong diplomatic discrepancies with Argentina, but will also continue with an interest in participating in other trade blocks of the region, said President Jose Mujica.

Peru will be hosting next October the III Summit of heads of state and government from South America and Arab nations which is expected to bring together 32 countries, according to Deputy Foreign Affairs minister Jose Beraún.

The Uruguayan construction industry faces tough years ahead because of the international crisis and its effects on neighbouring Argentina, forecasted economist Jorge Caumont who is also an advisor of several real estate agents.

Argentina tightened its grip on the country's energy sector on Friday by ordering a tax hike on bio-diesel exports, a move it said was needed to make domestic fuel prices more affordable, but denied market rumours that it will increase a soybean export tax.

Official consumer inflation in Argentina reached 0.8% in July accumulating 9.9% in the last twelve months and 5.9% in the first seven months of the year, according to the Indec statistics bureau.

Amazonas, the first of three BAE Systems built Ocean Patrol Vessels being delivered the Brazilian Navy, departed the UK for Rio de Janeiro this week after her crew completed a rigorous program of Flag Officer Sea Training with the Royal Navy off the South coast of England

Paraguay is sounding the recently created Pacific Block made up of Colombia, Peru, Chile and Mexico with the possibility of considering applying to join it, revealed the country’s Foreign affairs minister Jose Fernandez Estigarribia.

Buenos Aires subway splinter workers union announced Friday evening that they failed to reach an agreement with licensee company Metrovías and that the strike will continue for another 24 hours.

The investigation into the vandalized hermitage at the Argentine Cemetery in the Falklands has seen the local police investigation extend to the UK and Argentina. Forensic material has been sent to Britain and Falklands’ police have requested the Malvinas Families Commission to help identify the origin of a Spanish Bible with a message signed by a “Viviana” found inside the attacked shrine.

Due to increasing economic stability and a growing population, Brazil is now widely considered an economic powerhouse capable of maintaining and attracting foreign direct investments.(1)(2) However, recent corruption schemes, changes in monetary policy, and the ongoing 2008 global financial crisis have undermined Brazil’s shining reputation. In light of Brazil’s governmental intervention, the number of state-controlled enterprises, the growing debt-to-GDP in the private sector, and inflation rates, investors have begun to turn their attention to other economies in Latin America, especially Mexico.(3)