Uruguay

• Friday, December 12th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  A “boxing weekend” for Uruguay's ruling coalition congress

  

  Uruguay's ruling coalition national congress of delegates meets this weekend to decide on the presidential candidate --or hopefuls-- for next October's election, but contrary to the long tradition of the catch-all movement, no consensus has been reached or seems achievable.

• Tuesday, December 9th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Presidential hopefuls inflation in Uruguayan ruling coalition

  

  Uruguay's ruling coalition Broad Front opened the way for a short list of five presidential pre candidates to compete for the official candidacy for the coming general election in October 2009. The decision was taken over the week-end at a national plenary of the coalition with 172 delegates from all the country

• Thursday, December 4th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Uruguay estimates 3% economic growth next year

  

  Uruguay's economic team announced on Wednesday the government's estimates for the next twelve months admitting that the world recession will reach the country but growth rate in 2009 will be in the range of 3%, “above the average of the last fifty years”.

• Thursday, December 4th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Vazquez disgusted with disarray quits Socialist Party

  

  Uruguay's president Tabaré Vazquez decision to quit the Socialist Party sent shockwaves inside the ruling coalition. The news only became public this week although the letter was dated November 24 a day after the Socialist party rejected a presidential veto on a bill to decriminalize abortion.

• Tuesday, December 2nd 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Coalition government for Uruguay 2010, whoever wins

  

  Although still eleven months away, public opinion polls show that Uruguay's next government will not enjoy the current comfortable congressional majority and the president will emerge from a run off at the end of November 2009.

• Tuesday, December 2nd 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Uruguay opens the River Plate for oil and gas exploration

  

  Leading oil companies from Brazil, Spain, Russia, UK and United States are participating of the three days “Uruguay Round” collecting data on oil and gas exploration prospects off shore Uruguay in the River Plate.

• Saturday, November 29th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Uruguay confident of weathering financial crisis, says FT

  

  An optimistic overview of Uruguay's economic prospects for 2009 and 2010 was displayed by the country's Economy minister Alvaro García and Central Bank president Mario Bergara during an interview with Jude Webber from the Financial Times (November 28).

• Friday, November 28th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Uruguay sponsors Portugal to Antarctic Treaty; Chavez out

  

  Uruguay has no plans to lease or share one of its Antarctic outposts with Venezuela or to sponsor Venezuela's incorporation to the Antarctic Treaty, said Foreign Affairs Secretary Gonzalo Fernandez during a hearing before Parliament.

• Wednesday, November 26th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Police “repression” again fashionable for Uruguay's gov.

  

  Crime, law and order, have moved to the centre of Uruguay's public debate following several cases of small shop keepers shooting and killing in self defence or in defence of their families threatened at gun point in their premises.

• Tuesday, November 25th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Uruguay/Argentina ready for next diplomatic clash

  

  Chile's Foreign Affairs minister Alejandro Foxley said that former president Nestor Kirchner remains the leading candidate to become Secretary General of the Union of South American Nations, Unasur, although admitting a consensus must be reached among country members.