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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, December 22nd 2025 - 13:26 UTC

Uruguay

  • Wednesday, July 13th 2016 - 01:31 UTC

    Argentina and Brazil situations take a toll on Uruguay's 2015/16 cruise season

    The season which extended from November 2015 to April 2016, recorded 56 calls in the Punta del Este sea resort and 105 in Montevideo.

    The number of vessel calls dropped 6.4% and passengers landed 4.1%, during the last 2015/2016 cruise season compared to 2041/2015, according to the final report from Uruguay's Tourism ministry. The number of passenger and crew landed in Montevideo and Punta del Este reached 319.000 having spent an estimate 11.1 million dollars.

  • Tuesday, July 12th 2016 - 08:03 UTC

    Neighbors Stand Up to Venezuela

    “You can be elected democratically but lose legitimacy over time through your actions,” Eladio Loizaga Caballero, the foreign minister of Paraguay said

    By New York Times Editorial Board

    This summer, Venezuela was poised to assume the rotating presidency of Mercosur, a trade bloc that includes Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. But at the urging of Paraguay, Mercosur heads of state are considering blocking Venezuela, at least temporarily, citing the erosion of democracy there.

  • Tuesday, July 12th 2016 - 06:36 UTC

    Mercosur ever so divided plans a new meeting to decide on Venezuela´s presidency of the group

    Host minister Nin Novoa said that the group would take a two-day recess and meet again next Thursday following consultations

    Mercosur four founding members meeting in Montevideo have been unable to reach a consensus on whether to transfer, for the next six months, the group's pro tempore presidency to Venezuela and decided on a new round of talks next Thursday. Uruguay insists in complying with the charter and calendar, but Paraguay and Brazil question the current government of Venezuela's credentials for the job, and Argentina has an ambiguous position.

  • Saturday, July 9th 2016 - 09:57 UTC

    PAHO/WHO congratulates Uruguay for successfully defending tobacco control policies, “a model for the region”

    Dr. Etienne said that, “PAHO/WHO supported Uruguay's defense of these measures, which were aimed at saving lives”.

    The Pan American Health Organization/ World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) congratulated n Friday the Government of Uruguay for winning an international legal case brought by the Philip Morris tobacco company. Philip Morris challenged tobacco control regulations implemented by Uruguay in compliance with its obligations under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the world's first international public health treaty negotiated under the auspices of WHO.

  • Saturday, July 9th 2016 - 09:29 UTC

    Ex Guantanamo Diyab could be in Brazil, but he “is not infringing the law or on the run”

    Diyab is believe to be in the Uruguay-Brazil border twin cities which has a long resident Middle East population

    Jihad Ahmad Diyab, the ex Guantanamo Syrian inmate which was liberated and given refuge in Uruguay, and apparently recently crossed the border to neighboring Brazil “has not infringed any law” and is “not on the run”, according to Christian Mirza who acts as a link between the Uruguayan government and the ex Guantanamo prisoners accepted by Uruguay at the end of 2014.

  • Saturday, July 9th 2016 - 07:26 UTC

    Uruguay wins lead case against Philip Morris over strict anti-tobacco law

    “The Uruguayan state has emerged victorious and the tobacco company's claims have been roundly rejected,” President Tabare Vasquez said in national television

    Uruguay won on Friday an arbitration case against US tobacco giant Philip Morris, which sued the state claiming its strict anti-tobacco law harmed the cigarette maker's business, both sides said. Philip Morris argued that Uruguay had violated terms of a bilateral investment treaty with Switzerland, where it has its main headquarters.

  • Saturday, July 9th 2016 - 06:15 UTC

    International anti tobacco philanthropies hail Uruguay´s legal victory against Philip Morris

    “This is a major victory for the people of Uruguay, it shows countries everywhere can stand up to tobacco companies and win”, said Michael R Bloomberg

    In a historic public health victory that will be felt around the world, Uruguay has won an international legal battle against Philip Morris International to uphold its strong laws to reduce tobacco use. The event was underlined by international philanthropies, which also supported Uruguay during the litigation.

  • Friday, July 8th 2016 - 04:56 UTC

    Uruguayan government insists in transferring Mercosur presidency to Venezuela

    A release from Uruguay's foreign ministry, which was not signed by Nin Novoa, reiterates its decision to transfer the Mercosur chair to Venezuela

    Uruguay ratified on Thursday its willingness to transfer the Mercosur presidency to Venezuela despite objections from the other members, Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. In a brief statement in its official site, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Uruguay, currently holding the Mercosur pro tempore chair “reiterates its position to proceed to transfer the presidency, in abidance with what is established by the current Mercosur rules”.

  • Wednesday, July 6th 2016 - 06:54 UTC

    Brazil asks Mercosur chair transfer to Venezuela to be delayed until August

    Serra told Uruguay president Vázquez, “we're asking for more time. Let's wait 'til August, the Mercosur presidency must be the result of an unanimous decision”

    The deep differences among Mercosur members as to who should hold the group's rotating chair this second half of the year surfaced openly in Montevideo with the surprise visit of Brazilian foreign minister Jose Serra and ex president Fernando Henrique Cardoso. The Brazilin delegation formally requested Uruguay, which currently holds the six/month Mercosur chair to suspend the transfer to Venezuela until at least August.

  • Thursday, June 30th 2016 - 13:22 UTC

    Paraguay does not accept Venezuela as Mercosur pro tempore chair; group split in half

    Loizaga said Paraguay will not accept Venezuela's presidency since “it's not a good message for Mercosur because we were not consulted, nor was Brazil”.

    Mercosur is again split over Venezuela because Paraguay, and apparently Brazil, have not been consulted regarding the decision to hand the pro tempore presidency of the block to Venezuela in July, as was agreed in Montevideo by Uruguay and Argentina.