Uruguay

• Saturday, August 8th 2009 - 14:10 UTC

  Uruguay’s flag carrier plans to fly Santiago de Chile/Punta Arenas

  

  A third operator could be joining Lan and Sky Airline in cargo and passenger traffic between Santiago de Chile and Punta Arenas, according to an official request presented before Chile’s Civil Aeronautics Agency last July 24, reports La Prensa Austral.

• Friday, August 7th 2009 - 12:50 UTC

  Mercosur works if Brazil makes it work, said Uruguayan presidential hopeful

  

  The Uruguayan ruling coalition presidential candidate Jose Mujica said Brazilian president Lula da Silva promised to help speed power inter-connection between the two neighbouring countries, in the framework of Mercosur, in spite of Argentina’s non supportive attitude. He also underlined Mercosur depends on Brazil’s willingness.

• Thursday, August 6th 2009 - 16:50 UTC

  Opinion poll confirms November run off for Uruguay’s presidential election

  

  Uruguay’s ruling coalition has a ten point lead for October’s presidential election with 44% of the vote followed by the main opposition National party with 34%. However if the tendency is confirmed, a run off is inevitable in November according to Equipo Mori pollsters.

• Tuesday, August 4th 2009 - 09:45 UTC

  Opinion polls anticipate Uruguayan presidential election with run-off

  

  The coming Uruguayan presidential election scheduled for October will be decided in a run off at the end of November according to the tendencies of the latest public opinion poll released Monday in Montevideo.

• Friday, July 31st 2009 - 12:30 UTC

  Japanese rating agency upgrades Uruguay’s debt to stable BB

  

  The Japanese Rating and Investment agency has upgraded Uruguay’s debt rating from BB- to BB with a stable outlook according to the latest release this week. This is two slots below investment grade and recognized among other factors the light public debt service burden until 2011.

• Thursday, July 30th 2009 - 03:32 UTC

  NZ dairy farming group in Uruguay raised 30 million USD locally

  

  NZ Farming Systems Uruguay Ltd has raised 30 million US dollars by selling a first tranche of bonds in Uruguay. The non-convertible bonds have an expected maturity of about 15 years, and pay a fixed interest rate of 5% until September 30, 2010.

• Tuesday, July 28th 2009 - 15:07 UTC

  Uruguay downgrades 2009 growth estimate to 0.7%

  

  Uruguay’s Finance minister Alvaro García for the third time in eight months downgraded the country’s growth estimate for 2009. At a press conference following the regular Monday cabinet meeting, Gracía said that the economy will expand 0.7% this year, down from the April estimate of 2% and 3% from last December.

• Friday, July 24th 2009 - 14:28 UTC

  Uruguay criticizes Mercosur trade barriers and integration delay

  

  Uruguay criticized trade barriers imposed by Mercosur country members which, it said seriously threaten the integration process and represent a “severe reversal” for the original project.

• Tuesday, July 21st 2009 - 12:19 UTC

  Uruguayan ruling coalition loosing ground to the opposition

  

  The Uruguayan ruling coalition Broad Front seems to be loosing steam while the main opposition party grows steadily ahead of the coming October 25th general election, according to the latest public opinion poll released on Sunday.

• Tuesday, July 21st 2009 - 10:43 UTC

  EU/Mercosur talks expected to resume in 2010

  

  European Union Foreign Relations Commissar, Benita Ferrero-Waldner said on Monday that the Spanish presidency of the European Union in 2010 “should be a good moment and opportunity” to resume the stalled discussions of the European block with Mercosur.