The dredging of the Uruguay River and access to the Martin Garcia canal as well as importing power from Paraguay are the two main issues of the agenda to be addressed by Presidents Jose Mujica and Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner when they meet Tuesday in Buenos Aires.
Foreign Direct Investment, FDI, in Uruguay was record in 2010 with 2.35 billion dollars (47.8% higher than in 2009) according to the latest report on global investment from the UN Conference on Trade and Development, UNCTAD. FDI represented 30.5% of total gross investment in Uruguay last year.
A polar front advancing over Argentina and Uruguay dragged the thermometers Monday morning in yet another freezing day in the south of the continent. Below zero temperatures were registered in several locations reaching minus 16,2 Celsius in Malargüe, Mendoza Province, according to Argentina’s Meteorological Service (SMN).
The Uruguayan Peso is 17.4% over-valued against the US dollar according to the Big Mac index from The Economist which means the greenback should be trading in Montevideo money markets at 21.62 Pesos and not 18.25 Pesos as currently happens.
The United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, ECLAC, held a ceremony in its Santiago de Chile headquarters to honour Enrique Iglesias, the Uruguayan economist who was executive secretary of the commission from 1972 to 1985 and is currently, Secretary-General of the Ibero-American Secretariat.
The credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s upgraded on Monday Uruguay’s rating by one notch to BB-plus, only one notch below investment grade, praising years of “prudent and consistent” economic policies in the country.
In Buenos Aires Monumental stadium the match was 2-0 with a few minutes left and Uruguay ready for a Sunday record crowning 15th Copa America when Diego Forlan scored for the second time.
The Joint Technical Commission for Maritime Front (CTMFM) ordered a 60-day winter ban on hake (Merluccius hubbsi) in the Argentina-Uruguay Common Fishing Zone (CFZ), effective August 1 until September 30.
Following on an 8.5% growth rate in 2010, Uruguay’s real GDP continued to expand 6.8% in the first quarter of this year compared with the same period of 2010, according to the Central bank Debt Management Unit.
Paraguay beat Venezuela 5-3 on penalties to reach the Copa America final after regulation and extra-time produced a goalless draw. The Wednesday night match played in the Malvinas Argentina stadium of the city of Mendoza ended with a general brawl among some players and assistants.