MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, September 21st 2024 - 12:18 UTC

Stories for March 2024

  • Monday, March 4th 2024 - 10:58 UTC

    Argentina and Brazil “blocking” Mercosur's progress, Uruguayan President says

    It was Lacalle's last March 2 message to Parliament as head of state

    President Luis Lacalle Pou told his country's Parliament Saturday that Uruguay needed to open up to the world. In his last accountability for the year speech as head of state before Parliament, he also singled out Argentina and Brazil for “blocking” Mercosur agreements and insisted on the importance of achieving fiscal goals, low inflation, employment growth, educational transformation, and making the regional bloc more flexible.

  • Monday, March 4th 2024 - 10:39 UTC

    Milei's policies leave almost no Urguayans shopping across the border

    Prices in Argentina are no longer that attractive to Uruguayan consumers who used to cross the bridge between Fray Bentos and Gualeguaychú to do their shopping

    Business owners in the city of Gualeguaychú in the Argentine province of Entre Ríos are foreseeing increasing losses after the latest economic measures by President Javier Milei's administration have resulted in fewer Uruguayans crossing the border to do their shopping as prices are no longer considerably lower.

  • Monday, March 4th 2024 - 10:29 UTC

    Corrientes and Montevideo under water due to heavy rains

    Cars sank into the temporary water flows throughout the provincial capital

    The city of Corrientes, the capital of the Argentine province of the same name, was left under water Sunday as 209 millimeters of heavy rains caused floods and material damage while vehicles were swept away by the current. Classes were suspended for Monday amid widespread power outages, with streets turned into temporary rivers.

  • Monday, March 4th 2024 - 10:27 UTC

    Tsakos closing Montevideo naval operations

    Tsakos will remain in Uruguay doing business in renewable energies, agro-forestry, and real estate

    The Greek company Tsakos announced it was closing its naval operations in Uruguay but will keep other investments in the South American country, it was reported in Montevideo after early versions that the firm was departing altogether.

  • Monday, March 4th 2024 - 10:23 UTC

    Retail sales drop 25.5% year-on-year in Argentina

    “In terms of prices, February had less uncertainty than November, December, and January,” CAME also explained

    A study released Sunday by the Argentine Confederation of Medium-Sized Companies (CAME) showed a 25.5% interannual decline at constant prices in retail sales in Argentina and a 27% drop for the first two months of 2024, it was reported in Buenos Aires. The Index of Retail Sales of SMEs also mentioned a 7.4% setback from January, when a 6.4% monthly decrease had been recorded.

  • Monday, March 4th 2024 - 09:45 UTC

    US Anti-Corruption envoy back in Paraguay

    Nephew had been in Asunción in October of 2022

    US State Department Global Anti-Corruption Coordinator Richard Nephew arrived in Paraguay Sunday in his second visit to the South American country, Asunción's Última Hora reported. Starting Monday, he is to meet with government officials “to analyze current challenges and identify other areas of possible collaboration.”

  • Saturday, March 2nd 2024 - 10:57 UTC

    Milei launches “May Pact” offer to governors in exchange for financial aid

    Milei chose Córdoba for the historical agreement because it is “the country's foundational place in terms of knowledge”

    Argentine President Javier Milei Friday announced he was summoning the governors of the 23 provinces plus the mayor of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires as well as former heads of state and other political leaders to sign on the national May 25 holiday what he named “the May Pact,” a foundational agreement whereby the rules of the country's future would be laid out. He launched this appeal during his speech opening the 142nd Legislature.

  • Saturday, March 2nd 2024 - 10:50 UTC

    Brazil: IBGE announces economy grows 2.9% in 2023

    “Agriculture grew by 15.1% last year, pushed by the growth in soybean and corn production,” IBGE's Rebeca Palis said

    According to a report released Friday by Brazil’s Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), the gross domestic product (GDP) in South America's largest country grew by 2.9% in 2023 driven by a record 15.1% expansion in the agricultural sector. It was the most significant leap since the beginning of the series in 1995. Industry (1.6%) and services (2.4%) also saw an improvement.

  • Saturday, March 2nd 2024 - 10:44 UTC

    Lula brings spotlight onto Gaza crisis during Celac speech

    Lula spoke of a “carnage” in the Middle East

    Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva Friday brought before the United Nations a proposal from the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac) to end “the genocide” in the Gaza Strip. During his speech at the 8th Celac Summit in Kingstown (St Vincent and the Grenadines), the South American leader also referred to the situation in the Middle East as a “carnage.”

  • Saturday, March 2nd 2024 - 10:40 UTC

    Strengthening Celac key to avoid return to colonial order, Bolivian president says

    Arce also met with his Brazilian colleague Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to discuss the expansion of trade and investment in infrastructure and natural gas exploration in Bolivian territory

    Bolivian President Luis Arce Catacora said Friday in Kingstown (St. Vincent and the Grenadines), said that strengthening the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac) and every regional integration space was the only alternative to war to fend off any foreign interference seeking the return to the “already outlawed” colonial order. He made those remarks during his speech at the 8th Celac Summit.