Uruguayan former president Jorge Batlle (2000/2005) said on Facebook that Argentina will again be a normal country when President Cristina Fernandez disappears from the political stage. And when this happens the Argentines are going to be happier and as a consequence so will we.
To the loss of transshipments from Argentina, estimated in 100 million dollars a year by Montevideo port authorities, must be added the 60 million dollars following the ban on Falklands' flagged vessels from operating in Uruguay, claimed Mario Baubeta, president of Uruguay's Navigation Centre.
Uruguay awarded French gas and power group GDF Suez SA a contract to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) re-gasification plant at an estimated cost of 1.125 billion dollars, the government said on Tuesday.
Argentine Foreign minister Hector Timerman said that relations with Uruguay are going through “a good moment”, contrary to recent statements from Uruguayan Vice-president Danilo Astori, and described as ‘false’ the information that two Falklands’ flagged fishing vessels had called into Uruguayan ports.
President Jose Mujica confirmed that the project for the construction of a liquid gas re-gasification plant in the River Plate coast, originally planned with Argentina, “will go ahead with of without the Argentine government”.
At least two Uruguayan lawmakers have confirmed to the British embassy in Montevideo that they will be travelling to the Falkland Islands next March for the referendum on the Islands political status and future. The trips are financed by the embassy and according to parliament sources in Montevideo the list could become longer.The news was published in a Montevideo weekly.
A Korean flagged trawler that caught fire in early morning Sunday has been tugged to the middle of the bay of Montevideo where a combined effort of Uruguayan Coast Guard, port authorities and fire fighters have controlled the flames after rescuing forty crewmembers, mostly Chinese, Vietnamese, Indonesian and Korean officers.
For consular purposes the Uruguayan Foreign Affairs ministry refers to the Malvinas Islands, which are claimed by Argentina with the support of Mercosur members, as the “dependent territory” of the “Islas Falklands”.
Uruguay has began works in the extension of a pier in the port of Montevideo to cater the cruise industry which should be ready for the next season 2012/13 when the country will also become a hub for the exchange of passengers.
The Brazilian navy polar research vessel “Almirante Maximiano” at the end of its XXXth Antarctic operation, Operantar, arrived on Thursday at Montevideo to take fuel, supplies and exchange experiences with Uruguayan officers.