Uruguay

• Saturday, July 28th 2012 - 02:12 UTC

  Mujica forecasts Venezuela will rapidly become Uruguay’s third trade partner

  

  Uruguayan president Jose Mujica strongly defended the incorporation of Venezuela to Mercosur and forecasted that in a short time the country will become Uruguay’s third trade associate, behind China and Brazil.

• Saturday, July 28th 2012 - 00:10 UTC

  Russia investing heavily in becoming self sufficient in beef production

  

  Russian President Vladimir Putin has an ambitious plan to cut his country's 3 billion dollars annual import bill for beef. He even aspires to return Russia's beef industry to its pre-revolutionary stature.

• Thursday, July 26th 2012 - 20:35 UTC

  Mujica warns Uruguay is going through an exceptional period, but it is also finite

  

  President Jose Mujica said Uruguay was going through an ‘exceptional’ period vis-à-vis the world crisis but also warned that exceptionality has limits and is not forever.

• Thursday, July 26th 2012 - 20:28 UTC

  Uruguay central bank suggests “serene alert” attitude to address global crisis impact

  

  Uruguay must adopt an attitude of “serene alert” given the “uncertainty and uncommon volatility” prevailing in the world said central bank president Mario Bergara, underlining the country has reduced “vulnerabilities” considerably.

• Thursday, July 26th 2012 - 09:10 UTC

  Mercosur farmers support Paraguay and call for harmonic relations in the group

  

  The suspension of Paraguay and the intent to incorporate Venezuela to Mercosur represent a threat to the regional integration process, said the Mercosur Federation of Rural Associations, Farm, currently meeting in Santiago de Chile.

• Wednesday, July 25th 2012 - 07:20 UTC

  Cold waters strand migrating green sea turtles on Uruguayan beaches

  

  A record number of sea turtles are turning up on Uruguayan beaches along the Atlantic Ocean and Río de la Plata suffering from cold shock and hypothermia.While specialists are still investigating the causes, they speculate that an abrupt change in sea temperature may have prevented the green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) from migrating to warmer waters

• Wednesday, July 25th 2012 - 04:44 UTC

  Brazilian influential newspaper blasts “Dilma’s anti-diplomacy”

  

  Brazil’s influential newspaper O Estado de Sao Paulo blasted Brazilian foreign policy and its handling of the Paraguayan political crisis. In an opinion column under the heading “Dilma’s anti-diplomacy” the newspaper argues that the current administration is politicizing foreign policy, the same way that her predecessor, Lula da Silva.

• Tuesday, July 24th 2012 - 06:40 UTC

  The only ‘coup’ was including Venezuela in Mercosur with Paraguay suspended

  

  Paraguayan president Federico Franco said on Monday that the only coup, if that is the word, was implemented by Mercosur from the moment they left Paraguay out of the decision to incorporate Venezuela as a full member of the group.

• Tuesday, July 24th 2012 - 06:31 UTC

  Uruguay raises banks’ reserves requirements to help bring down inflation

  

  Uruguay's central bank said on Monday it will raise marginal reserve requirements on local and foreign currency deposits from Aug. 1 as part of its efforts to bring inflation within the official target range.

• Monday, July 23rd 2012 - 19:16 UTC

  Paraguay could appeal Mercosur sanctions before the International Court of Justice

  

  Paraguay is prepared to demand Mercosur co-members before the International Court of Justice at The Hague for what it describes as “violation of signed treaties” and sustained “international isolation” following the rejection of an appeal to have sanctions lifted.