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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, February 3rd 2026 - 19:35 UTC

Politics

  • Friday, January 29th 2010 - 09:15 UTC

    “Global Statesman” Lula da Silva recovers from high blood pressure peak

    Brazilian president was about to fly to Switzerland when he was hospitalized

    Brazilian president Lula da Silva is resting at his private home after having suffered a high blood pressure peak on Wednesday which forced him to cancel his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos where he was to be honoured with the Global Statesman Prize.

  • Friday, January 29th 2010 - 03:05 UTC

    Cambio? The Obama Administration in Latin America: A Disappointing Year in Perspective

    In a memorandum written as Barack Obama assumed office in January 2009 COHA’s Research Fellows Guy Hursthouse and Tomás Ayuso considered widespread Latin American expectations of a dramatic shift in approach from Washington under the new president, and outlined an agenda for change aimed at achieving those hopes as the result of a bold new direction for U.S. relations with the region. A year later, they offer their evaluation of developments to date and conclude that a clear and meaningful program of change has failed to materialize under Obama, his Secretary of State, and the leadership team to which he has looked for drafting his regional agendas. At best, their fractured approach to Latin American issues has delivered mixed results. Looking ahead, the authors ask, despite the continued backing Obama continues to enjoy from a resilient public that still refuses give up on him, can we expect the president’s second year in office to deliver that coherent mixture of realism and idealism which has up to now proved elusive?

  • Friday, January 29th 2010 - 02:22 UTC

    Tough year ahead for Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez

    Shortages of power and water, and a strong devaluation of the currency have eroded support for Chavez

    Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez is facing a tough 2010 with growing complaints over shortages of electricity and water and a sharp currency devaluation that could harm the chances of his supporters in congressional elections in September.

  • Friday, January 29th 2010 - 01:54 UTC

    Canada confident of its oil potential development in spite of Venezuela

    According to the US Geological Survey Venezuela holds 500 billion barrels, and Canada 311 billion but “money recoverable”

    An assessment that Venezuela sits on one of the largest oil fields on record does not threaten the potential of Canadian reserve development, analysts said.

  • Friday, January 29th 2010 - 01:52 UTC

    Obama promises jobs and admits a “deficit of trust” by the US people

    “I do not accept second place for the US”, said Obama

    US president Barack Obama promised to make job creation his top priority as he made his first State of the Union address. Obama forecast the creation of 1.5 million jobs through the 'stimulus bill' in the nationally televised speech Wednesday evening to a joint session of Congress.

  • Thursday, January 28th 2010 - 14:15 UTC

    Honduras Lobo moving “in the right direction”, but no US aid restoration yet

    Honduran President Porfirio Lobo (AP)

    Newly-inaugurated Honduran President Porfirio Lobo is taking his country “in the right direction,” but the United States has not decided whether to restore aid to Honduras, said Arturo Valenzuela, US assistant secretary of state for western hemisphere affairs.

  • Thursday, January 28th 2010 - 14:03 UTC

    Argentine financial markets waiting for outcome of Central Bank dispute

    “Coming to Congress is complying with a republican act”, said Redrado

    Argentine financial markets closed lower on Wednesday waiting for the outcome of the ongoing dispute between President Cristina Kirchner and Central bank governor Martin Redrado which is now under consideration in Congress.

  • Thursday, January 28th 2010 - 13:55 UTC

    Fed leaves rates unchanged but will begin to wind down liquidity programs

    Kansas City Fed president Thomas Hoenig, the dissenting voice

    The Federal Reserve said on Wednesday that the U.S. economic activity has continued to “strengthen” and decided to keep a key interest rate unchanged at a record low of between zero to 0.25% to prop up the economy. However there was a dissenting vote.

  • Thursday, January 28th 2010 - 13:43 UTC

    Soros backs Obama’s proposals to limit size of banks

    The legendary financer said major economies would have to agree on a common set of financial regulation (AP)

    Legendary investor George Soros has called for a radical break-up of banks that are “too big to fail”. He also backed US President Barack Obama's proposed reforms to limit the size of banks at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

  • Thursday, January 28th 2010 - 13:41 UTC

    Sarkozy raps bankers and calls for a fundamental rethink of capitalism

    French president Sarkozy: what kind of capitalism do we want?

    French President Nicolas Sarkozy has called for a fundamental rethink of capitalism in the aftermath of the financial crisis. “We need deep profound change,” he said in his keynote speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos.