Uruguay

• Monday, December 28th 2009 - 12:49 UTC

  Spanish bank forecasts strong recovery of Uruguayan economy in 2010

  

  Spanish bank BBVA anticipates a strong recovery of the Uruguayan economy next year with one of the highest growth rates in the region and discards “any turbulences or surprises with the new government, it’s going to be continuation of current policies”.

• Monday, December 28th 2009 - 12:21 UTC

  Uruguay releases stamp issue on 70th anniversary of Battle of the River Plate

  

  Uruguay released a stamp issue to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Battle of the River Plate --December 13th 1939--, which ended with the scuttling of the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee.

• Saturday, December 26th 2009 - 13:27 UTC

  Low cost, no frills ceremony planned for Mujica’s March inauguration

  

  Uruguayan president elect Jose Mujica anticipated that the inauguration ceremony next March first will be in the open, paid by “friends” with no military parade, but with numerous music and dance groups playing to make it a real popular celebration, according to several reports in the Montevideo press.

• Friday, December 25th 2009 - 16:40 UTC

  US Senate confirms ambassadors: Shannon to Brazil and Nelson to Uruguay

  

  United States Senate confirmed Thomas Shannon as the newly appointed US Ambassador to Brazil, after a long delay due to the veto of Republican national deputies, who have showed discontent towards US President Barack Obama's policies as regards Latin America.

• Friday, December 25th 2009 - 16:27 UTC

  Uruguay expects record harvest of wheat; soybean becomes the main crop

  

  Uruguay’s is expecting a record wheat crop for the second year running in 2009 while the barley harvest is forecasted as the largest in the last ten years according to the Statistics Office from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries.

• Wednesday, December 23rd 2009 - 15:44 UTC

  Uruguay cuts basic rate and eases credit to sustain US dollar

  

  Uruguay surprised markets with a 175 basic point rate cut to 6.25% from 8.00% amid expectations of lower inflation. The central bank also decided to reduce the inflation target fluctuation for the next 18 months from 3 to 7%, to 4% and 6%.

• Tuesday, December 22nd 2009 - 16:26 UTC

  US limits airline tarmac delays; companies must provide for waiting passengers

  

  The United States Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Monday a new rule that significantly strengthens protections afforded to consumers by, among other things, establishing a hard time limit (three hours) after which US airlines must allow passengers to deplane from domestic flights.

• Monday, December 21st 2009 - 17:49 UTC

  Uruguay’s president-elect expected to announce ministerial cabinet this week

  

  Uruguay’s president elect Jose Mujica is expected to announce this week the ministerial cabinet that will be working with him when he takes office next March first, according to sources from his headquarters.

• Sunday, December 20th 2009 - 09:09 UTC

  New York Times praises the quality of Uruguayan beef from grass-fed cattle

  

  The New York Times dedicated a long piece to the quality and rising pre-eminence of Uruguayan beef in world markets, contrary to what is happening in neighbouring Argentina, still considered “king of the best beef in the world”

• Saturday, December 19th 2009 - 03:57 UTC

  Uruguay will retain close relations with Venezuela, “but no ALBA”

  

  Uruguay’s next Foreign Affairs minister Ambassador Luis Almagro said that president elect Jose Mujica’s administration will sustain “an important relation” with Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez because it is the country’s main supplier of oil and one of ten leading trade partners.