Industry, Energy and Mining Minister, Roberto Kreimerman, said Uruguay would try to settle disputes with Argentina in order to reestablish trade relations, but he also recognized Uruguay’s relationship with Argentina 'will never be the same'. The minister revealed that 32 million dollars of Uruguayan exports are blocked at Argentine Customs.
Seven out of 19 Latin-American countries will be holding elections this year and in four of them, Brazil, Bolivia, El Salvador and Uruguay, left leaning catch-all coalitions will try to hold on to power. Likewise with two conservative governments, Colombia and Panama.
Uruguayan exports in 2013 increased 4.8% in value and reached a record 9,155 billion dollars with soybean the main item and China the leading trade partner. The data was released by the government export promotion organization Uruguay XXI, which sometimes is over optimistic.
President José Mujica admitted that Uruguay's relationship with Argentina is at a standstill, and suggested that improving relations was up to counterpart Cristina Fernández and her actions, since I'm always open to dialogue.
Uruguay will continue to consolidate its market friendly policies, pledged incoming Economy minister Mario Bergara, 48. on taking office on Thursday surrounded by President Jose Mujica and Vice president Danilo Astori. He replaced Fernando Lorenzo who was forced to resign following a major scandal involving the failure and shut down of the country's flag air carrier Pluna.
Human life isn’t all bad, but it sometimes feels that way. Good news is no news: the headlines mostly tell of strife and bail-outs, failure and folly.
Uruguay's economy minister Fernando Lorenzo resigned on Saturday in the face of questions over the alleged irregular sale of government-owned airplanes following the closure of Pluna, the country's flag carrier, President Jose Mujica announced at a brief press conference, with no questions taken, next to Vice president Danilo Astori.
Argentine ambassador in Montevideo complained to Uruguay's leading newspaper over an article published in a features magazine referred to the Falkland Islands Wind from the South which completely ignores the international community, and Uruguay's, struggle against colonialism.
Uruguayan president Jose Mujica and his peer from Argentina Cristina Fernandez will be meeting next 17 January on the sidelines of the Mercosur summit scheduled to take place in Caracas, Venezuela. This would be the first time the two leaders meet after over seventy days of interrupted bilateral dialogue, and they have a long list of issues to address if they finally decide to discuss them.
Uruguayan Senator Luis Rosadilla said that he received Argentina's honors for having volunteered when the Malvinas war broke out in 1982, in the name of all those Uruguayan citizens that have done so much for the anti-imperialism cause.