Uruguay

• Wednesday, February 19th 2014 - 22:38 UTC

  Mercosur to meet 7 March to finalize the proposal to be presented to EU

  

  In early March Mercosur will have readied its proposal to liberate trade to be presented to the European Union, the basis for a wide-ranging cooperation and trade agreement between the two blocks, announced Rubens Barbosa, head of the Trade Council from the Sao Paulo State Industries Federation, FIESP.

• Tuesday, February 18th 2014 - 21:33 UTC

  Mujica exposed 'to contempt of justice' for refusing to pay Judiciary branch budget increase

  

  The Uruguayan Judiciary branch warned President Jose Mujica that he is in contempt of justice for ignoring a budget bill that contemplates salary increases for judges and other members of independent government bodies.

• Monday, February 17th 2014 - 10:00 UTC

  Uruguay will appeal to a cut in state-run utilities rates, if necessary, to keep inflation under control

  

  Uruguayan President Jose Mujica admitted that annual inflation would likely remain between 7 and 9% for the rest of his administration, above the government's target maximum, but he will appeal to a cut in state-run utilities rates if necessary to keep the index under control.

• Monday, February 17th 2014 - 09:42 UTC

  Uruguay and Venezuela will further increase energy related cooperation

  

  Uruguay will renew the contract for the purchase of Venezuela oil and accept the stake increase of that country in a local bio-fuels corporation during the scheduled visit of President Nicolas Maduro to Montevideo next month; it was announced by the Uruguayan Foreign affairs ministry.

• Monday, February 17th 2014 - 09:09 UTC

  Uruguay's budget surplus reached 2.3% of GDP in 2013

  

  Despite a decade of sustained growth Uruguay's fiscal deficit reached 2.3% of GDP last year, which is an improvement over 2012, when it reached 2.8%, but above the government's target of 2.1%. In money terms this means the budget red was equivalent to 1.154bn dollars, including 350 million dollar losses from government owned companies.

• Friday, February 14th 2014 - 21:22 UTC

  Total to drill first exploratory well in Uruguay's shelf in October 2015

  

  French oil giant Total will be drilling its first well in Uruguay's continental shelf in October 2015, announced the president of the country's oil and gas government owned company ANCAP. Jose Coya also revealed that the company he leads is working on the third Uruguay Round which will implement in the last quarter of next year.

• Thursday, February 13th 2014 - 23:05 UTC

  Uruguay has an important role to play in promoting better relations say visiting delegates to Falkland Islands

  

  The cross-party delegation of Uruguayan parliamentarians currently visiting the Falkland Islands appear quite unmoved by what their leader Jaime Trobo described as the “dust storm” that their visit had created both at home in Uruguay and in neighbouring Argentina.

• Wednesday, February 12th 2014 - 22:55 UTC

  Falklands' visit of Uruguayan lawmakers delegation upsets Argentina

  

  The visit of four Uruguayan lawmakers to the Falkland Islands is receiving ample coverage from the Argentine media particularly the intention of closer links between Montevideo and the Islands including the possibility of sending Uruguayan manpower as well as promoting trade, tourism, culture and social relations

• Tuesday, February 11th 2014 - 23:44 UTC

  “It is not clear where the Argentine government is heading or who is in charge”

  

  It is not clear where the government commanded by Argentine president Cristina Fernández is heading to, Economy Minister of neighboring Uruguay Mario Bergara affirmed saying the economic ups and downs in Argentina have deeply impacted on Uruguayan exports, tourism and real estate activities.

• Monday, February 10th 2014 - 04:06 UTC

  Uruguay and Brazil prepared to a 'two-speed' Mercosur/EU trade negotiation

  

  Uruguay and Brazil could be prepared to go ahead with a 'two speed' trade negotiations between Mercosur and the European Union if the Argentine tariff proposal is not as ambitious as that from the rest of its members, according to Uruguayan diplomatic sources.