Uruguay

• Monday, July 16th 2012 - 03:15 UTC

  Mujica back steps: cannabis legal only “if 60% of public opinion supports idea”

  

  Uruguayan president Jose Mujica has back stepped on his initiative to legalize marihuana conditioning it to an “ample support from public opinion”, at least 60%. The initiative was announced a few weeks ago during the Rio+20 summit and sent shockwaves in the region and worldwide.

• Monday, July 16th 2012 - 03:05 UTC

  Mercosur reduced to a group “of bear-hugging and kissing compañeros”

  

  The influential British business and politics magazine The Economist anticipates that following the latest decisions by Mercosur, the South American group has little if any future. The Economist argues that the mounting protectionism and the rule-breaking admission of Venezuela have fatally undermined a once-promising trade block.

• Wednesday, July 11th 2012 - 23:02 UTC

  Uruguay concerned with Argentine economy growing misbalances

  

  Uruguay’s Economy minister Fernando Lorenzo expressed concern about the deteriorating indicators from the Argentine economy which could have a negative impact on the country’s activity.

• Wednesday, July 11th 2012 - 06:23 UTC

  Uruguay dairy exports jump 20% in value in first half of 2012 and reach 346m

  

  Uruguayan dairy exports in the first half of this year increased 30% in volume and 20% in value over the same period a year ago totalling 346 million dollars, according to the latest release from the National Milk Institute, Inale.

• Wednesday, July 11th 2012 - 01:20 UTC

  Uruguay president and vice-president clash over Venezuela’s Mercosur admission

  

  Uruguayan Vice president Danilo Astori openly clashed with President Jose Mujica over the recent decision to incorporate Venezuela to Mercosur arguing it was “the deepest institutional injury” suffered by the block and questioned the concept that the juridical “has to be at the service of the political”.

• Monday, July 9th 2012 - 05:59 UTC

  Chavez announces trip to Brazil for Venezuela’s formal admission to Mercosur

  

  President Hugo Chavez said he will be attending at the end of July the coming Mercosur meeting in Brasil when Venezuela will officially become the group’s fifth full member, a decision that has proved controversial and exposed differences inside the Common Market of the South.

• Friday, July 6th 2012 - 16:14 UTC

  Mujica proposes to blend Mercosur and Unasur into an only `more flexible group

  

  Uruguayan president Jose Mujica proposed to its South American peers to blend Mercosur and Unasur into an only group, according to an interview with a Uruguayan weekly in which he also ratified his commitment with Venezuela (and its oil resources) to justify the incorporation of the fifth full member of Mercosur.

• Friday, July 6th 2012 - 06:39 UTC

  Uruguay’s flag carrier Pluna “indefinitely grounded” and most staff redundant

  

  Uruguay’s flagship carrier Pluna said on Thursday that is was “suspending all flights indefinitely” and announced that 720 of the 900 staff would be sent on unemployment pay until a new associate for the company is found or the airline is definitively sold.

• Wednesday, July 4th 2012 - 19:32 UTC

  Cruise passengers main complaint in Uruguay: prices; the best, the people

  

  High prices was the main disapproval from cruise passengers visiting Uruguay this last summer 2011/12 despite the fact the number of calls was up 31% and expenditure 57% according to the final balance of the cruise season elaborated by the Ministry of Tourism.

• Wednesday, July 4th 2012 - 06:05 UTC

  Inflation in Uruguay remains strong, reaches 4.13% in the first six months

  

  With a marginal descent, Uruguay’s annual inflation in the twelve months to June reached 8% compared to May’s, 8.06%, but still two percentage points above the Central bank upper cap target.