
The Brazilian presidency advisor in international affairs Marco Aurelio García said that the agreement between Brazil and Paraguay regarding the surplus power from the shared Itaipú hydroelectric dam (operationally the largest in the world) is “most important” and helps to normalize bilateral relations.

A recent increase in the sale of Falklands farms to overseas buyers may lead to amendments to the Lands Non-residents Ordinance potentially to restrict who can buy farmland in the islands.

Brazil and Paraguay agreed over the weekend on an amicable solution to a decade long dispute over a hydro-electric dam on their shared border, with Brazil agreeing to triple the amount it pays its neighbour for energy.

Colombian President Alvaro Uribe postponed until September any decision on plans to seek a third term in office, the country’s former defence minister said week in Madrid.

On the 56th anniversary of the start of the Cuban Revolution, the message from President Raul Castro was not at all celebratory: the country must prepare for a second round of belt tightening because of the global financial crisis and promoting agriculture and food production is a “strategic priority”.

India formally launched its first home-built nuclear submarine on Sunday, joining a select band of five nations that have the capability to build the sophisticated weapons system. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stressed that New Delhi had no aggressive designs nor meant to threaten anyone.

Argentina and Brazil agreed to hold talks next week to address the ongoing trade differences which threaten to sour the bilateral relation. The meeting of Presidents Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and Lula da Silva was held on the sidelines of the Friday Mercosur summit in Paraguay.

As was anticipated Mercosur released a strong condemnation of the Honduran de facto government and demanded the immediate reinstatement of constitutional president Manuel Zelaya.

Argentina and Brazil postponed the signing of a 1.8 billion US dollars swap agreement that was supposed to promote bilateral trade amid the global financial crisis. Reasons for the delay were not revealed but the event was rescheduled for August 3.

Speaking in the framework of Mercosur summit in Paraguay, the leaders of Argentina and Brazil suggested Friday that developing countries be allowed to lift patent rights so they can produce more vaccines to battle the A/H1N1 virus flu pandemic.