Uruguay

• Friday, June 26th 2009 - 12:59 UTC

  Astori’s team looks for support (and funds) from Argentine businessmen

  

  Leaders from the grouping which supports Uruguayan presidential hopeful Danilo Astori cautioned in Buenos Aires that if Senator Jose Mujica is nominated candidate next Sunday, the ruling coalition’s re-election chances could be impaired.

• Friday, June 26th 2009 - 04:47 UTC

  Three pollsters have virtually confirmed the winners of next Sunday’s primary presidential elections

  

  Three pollsters have virtually confirmed the winners of next Sunday’s primary presidential elections in Uruguay. The ruling coalition’s presidential hopeful Jose Mujica and Pedro Bordaberry from the small Partido Colorado have ample margins over their runner ups and can be anticipated to win by a landslide.

• Friday, June 26th 2009 - 03:28 UTC

  Fearful Argentines taking their dollar savings to Uruguay for shelter

  

  Safe deposit boxes in Uruguay are overflowing with US dollars from fearful Argentines concerned about the situation in their country and the results of Sunday’s mid term elections, according to banking sources in Montevideo.

• Thursday, June 25th 2009 - 17:30 UTC

  Uruguay’s ruling coalition appeals for unity and “ideal presidential ticket”

  

  The Uruguayan ruling coalition held Tuesday night a last joint rally before Sunday’s presidential nomination primary evoking the past and calling for unity behind the winning ticket. However one of the three hopefuls said that an agreement on program “contents” will have to be reached first.

• Wednesday, June 24th 2009 - 08:32 UTC

  Kirchner, “one of the best neighbours Uruguay has ever had”

  

  Former Uruguayan president Jorge Batlle forecasted that Nestor Kirchner is going to be the main looser in next Sunday’s Argentine mid term elections, although he described the former Argentine president as “one of the best neighbours ever, for Uruguay’s interests”.

• Wednesday, June 24th 2009 - 08:10 UTC

  Uruguayan residents have 7.1 billion US dollars in overseas banks

  

  Uruguayan residents’ savings in overseas banks totalled 7.1 billion US dollars in the last quarter of 2008, which represents a slight drop from September 2008 but 14% over December 2006 (6.25 billion USD) according to the latest report from the Bank of International Settlements, BIS.

• Wednesday, June 24th 2009 - 05:47 UTC

  Uruguay’s imports plummet for the fifth month running, 41% in May

  

  Uruguay’s imports again plummeted in May for the fifth month running, with the highest inter-annual negative rate, 41%, according to the latest data from the Central Bank released this week.

• Wednesday, June 24th 2009 - 05:43 UTC

  World Bank forecasts Uruguayan economy growth of 0.8% in 2009

  

  The World Bank estimates the Uruguayan economy will expand 0.8% this year and begin a gradual recovery in 2010 with growth reaching 2.3%. In spite of the poor 2009 estimate, it will be one of the highest of the region together with Peru, Panama, Bolivia, Belize and Guyana.

• Sunday, June 21st 2009 - 11:26 UTC

  Uruguayan farmers fearful of consolidation in meat sector

  

  The possible merger between the leading Brazilian meat groups, Marfrig and JBS Bertin could create the largest corporation in the world and among other things dominate over 30% of the Uruguayan cattle demand market.

• Wednesday, June 17th 2009 - 12:20 UTC

  Scornful clashes inside Uruguay’s ruling coalition surprise public opinion

  

  The dispute for Uruguay’s ruling coalition presidential nomination has spiralled to unexpected levels while a group of senior members try and work out a viable understanding between the leading hopefuls for the day after, when a unified Broad Front is essential to repeat victory in next October’s general election.