Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Mari Carmen Aponte will travel to Montevideo, Uruguay, May 31-June 2 to lead the United States delegation at the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Americas Regional Meeting.
At a breakfast at the residence of Ambassador Ben Lyster-Binns on May 25th, the British Embassy in Montevideo and the Rural Association of Uruguay (ARU) presented the proposal for the British Pavilion at Expo Prado 2016. Representatives of several companies that have ties with the UK, many of which already formed part of the pavilion in 2015 and 2014, attended the event.
Maersk Lines, one of the world's leading shipping line has announced it won't be operating any longer in the port of Montevideo, Uruguay, because of logistic problems with the operations of its vessels.
Venezuela, in the midst of a most serious domestic political and economic situation, and with less foreign allies is scheduled to take the chair of Mercosur as of next June for the following six months. However it has been agreed that Uruguay will continue leading Mercosur negotiations with the European Union for a much delayed wide ranging cooperation and trade agreement.
Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro admitted he was mad as a hatter, but mad with love for Venezuela, the Bolivarian revolution and for the deceased leader Hugo Chavez, in a clear reference to previous statements, without mentioning him, of Uruguayan ex president Jose Mujica.
Argentina, Chile and Uruguay in a joint statement released on Friday, called for political dialogue in Venezuela and offered to help with a national reunion of the political and social forces of the country. The appeal, with utmost respect for the principle of non interference in the internal affairs of Venezuela, was made extensive to the government, the National Assembly, under opposition control, and all political and social groups.
Uruguayan ex president Jose Mujica said on Wednesday that in Venezuela “everybody has gone nuts” and president Nicolas Maduro is “mad as a hatter”. The former leader was reacting to the controversy between his former foreign minister and now OAS secretary general, Luis Almagro and Maduro.
Uruguay's foreign minister Rodolfo Nin Novoa said on Thursday that all agriculture products are included in negotiations for a wide ranging trade and cooperation agreement between Mercosur and the European Union. The chief negotiator for Mercosur underlined that contrary to what was announced by some media, beef and ethanol are included in the proposals exchanged on Wednesday in Brussels between the two blocks.
Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström and the Foreign Affairs Minister of Uruguay Rodolfo Nin Novoa, on Wednesday exchanged EU and Mercosur offers on access to their respective markets of goods, services and establishment and government procurement. However this first exchange excluded 'sensitive' items such as beef and ethanol, according to EU sources. The details of the documents exchanged were not made public.
Ian Duddy has been appointed Her Majesty's Ambassador to Uruguay in succession to Ben Lyster-Binns, who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Mr Duddy will take up his appointment during October 2016.