News of concerns

Lacalle Pou: Uruguay and China in talks over bilateral free-trade deal

08-09-2021 16:28 Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou says his government is “in a hurry” to close a FTA with China – a development that’s sure to increase tensions with other Mercosur member states.

PRESIDENTIAL MEETING

President Fernández to host Lacalle Pou amid Mercosur tensions

12-08-2021 14:39 Alberto Fernández will host Luis Lacalle Pou at the Olivos presidential residence on Friday, with tensions over Mercosur's future likely to be discussed.

MERCOSUR IN DISARRAY

Mercosur’s glitch-plagued summit puts spotlight on trade divide

09-07-2021 02:58 Luis Lacalle Pou's new trade strategy unable to win broad support among bloc's members. Parallel initiative backed by Brazil and Uruguay to reduce Mercosur's common external tariff also fails to advance.

ARGENTINE PONTIFF

Chicken walk and mate: Pope Francis' health, from colon to sciatica

05-07-2021 10:57 Pope Francis was doing well on Monday after surgery for an inflamed large colon, but the 84-year-old was expected to spend around seven days recovering in hospital, the Vatican said. A look at the Argentine pontiff's other health problems.

IN-DEPTH: MERCOSUR

Mercosur’s future up for debate at key meeting

01-05-2021 00:21 Member nations agree to debate ‘flexibilisation’ of bloc’s rules at key meeting in May. Uruguay continues to push for liberalisation of tariffs, rules on free-trade deals.

MERCOSUR BLOC

Uruguay presents plan to make Mercosur trade talks more flexible

26-04-2021 15:19 According to the draft document released by the Foreign Ministry in Montevideo, the proposal would allow member states, under some conditions, to initiate negotiations "either as a group or individually."

MERCOSUR SUMMIT

Trade and Covid-19 vaccines top agenda for Mercosur summit

23-03-2021 13:22 Mercosur’s member nations will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the bloc's founding at a key summit this Friday, with the clear differences between them more than evident.

by Mariano Beldyk

BLOOMBERG

CEOs frustrated with Argentina rattle off list of problems

13-11-2020 19:02 Global companies are growing ever more frustrated with Argentina. The specific gripes vary, but broadly speaking executives say it’s hard to make money given the multitude of challenges facing the nation.

EU-MERCOSUR DEAL

Brazil rejects deforestation concerns on EU-Mercosur deal

23-09-2020 16:12 Brazil hits back at European reluctance to finalise EU-Mercosur trade deal, saying a French report on environmental concerns is motivated by "protectionist interests."

Coronavirus pandemic

Fernández fears Bolsonaro’s approach to pandemic will hurt Argentina

30-03-2020 18:55 President Alberto Fernández expresses concerns over his Brazilian counterpart's approach to the coronavirus pandemic, fearing its impact on locked-down Argentina.