<a href=www.falkland-malvinas.com>Mercosur press Monday, 02 June

United States Secretary of State Colin Powell will be meeting Argentine President Nestor Kirchner in Buenos Aires next June 10, following the top US official participation in a regional summit in Santiago de Chile.

The General Assembly of Foreign Secretaries from the Organization of American States, OAS, is scheduled to take place in Chile between June 8 and 10.

This will the second gesture of President George Bush administration’s towards the new Argentine government. Two days before taking office on May 25, President Bush personally phoned Mr. Kirchner to congratulate him and invite him to visit Washington.

According to United States analysts Washington’s renewed interest in Argentina and particularly in Mr. Kirchner, arises from the fact that the former Santa Cruz governor is relatively unknown in US political circles, he has pledged a “strategic alliance” with Brazil and the assumption ceremony in Buenos Aires seems to have turned into a most Latinamerican event with presidents Lula da Silva from Brazil, Cuba’s Fidel Castro and Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez as cheerleaders. Actually both Mr. Castro and his self proclaimed first “disciple” Mr. Chavez are particularly worrisome figures for Washington.

United States special envoy to Mr. Kirchner’s assumption was a rather low ranking official, Mel Martínez head of the Housing and Urban Development Department, while the rest of the region was present with their heads of state.

Two days after Mr. Kirchner took office the State Department contacted Argentine Foreign Affairs Minister Rafael Bielsa and suggested Mr. Powell’s visit.

Mr. Bielsa has defined the relation of the Kirchner administration with Washington, as “cooperative without co-habitation”, in direct reference to the Menem-Di Tella days when the relation with the US was described as “carnal”.

Cabinet chief Alberto Fernández, one of Mr. Kirchner’s closest aides said that the President “never doubted he was going to have good relations with the Unites States. But it will be mature relations based on what suits Argentina, not on the country’s automatic alignment or submission to a foreign power”.

As to candidate Kirchner’s apparent aloofness towards Washington Mr. Fernández said it’s was quiet odd that a presidential hopeful “should need first the dispensation of the US Ambassador, then the business community and only later worry about what the people think”.

“United States has realized that we wish a serious, mature relation, and that we’re not anti Americans”, remarked a source from the Argentine Foreign Affairs Ministry organizing Mr. Powell’s first visit to Argentina

Colombia's Carrasquilla to Hold Course on Economic Policy As Uribe Quits

Mexican Peso Plunges on Interest Rate Speculation; Brazilian Real Declines

Airbus May Win $800 Million Mexicana Air Order for 20 Planes, People Say

May 30 (<a href=quote.bloomberg.com>Bloomberg) -- Mexican stocks gained for a third day in four, led by America Movil SA, on optimism that strong demand for cellular services in Mexico will help Latin America's largest mobile phone company boost profit this year.

Mexico's Bolsa index rose 51.47, or 0.8 percent, to 6699.18, finishing the week with a gain of 1.7 percent. Brazil's Bovespa index of the most-traded stocks on the Sao Paulo stock exchange climbed 0.1 percent to 13,421.60, ending the week 2.1 percent higher. Venezuela's main stock index jumped for a 12th day, rising 4.1 percent to 12,779.62 and closing the week with a 30 percent rise, the biggest since at least 1994.

Shares of America Movil gained as investors expect the Mexican cellular market, the company's main source of income, will continue to expand at a faster rate than fixed-line services, helping the company's profit climb.

We like the dynamics of the cellular market in Mexico, particularly in comparison to the staggering conditions in the fixed-line market,'' said Robert Hulme, who manages about $29 million in Latin American equities at DNB Asset Management in London. People have been surprised about the resilience for demand in the cellular market.''

Other Markets

In other markets, the main indexes in Chile, Colombia and Peru were little changed, while Argentine shares gained. Colombia's IGBC Index of most traded shares finished the week 7.7 percent higher, posting the biggest weekly gain since Jan. 10.

The following stocks had significant gains or losses in Latin American markets today. Symbols are in parentheses after the company name. In Brazil the preferred share is usually the company's most-traded class of stock.

Mexico

America Movil (AMXL MM) gained 16 centavos, or 1.7 percent, to 9.45 pesos. The shares have gained 26 percent this year.

Grupo Mexico SA (GMEXICOB MM), the world's third-largest copper miner, gained for a fourth day, rising 70 centavos, or 4.7 percent, to 15.55 pesos. Copper futures for July delivery gained 1.3 percent to 78.25 cents per pound on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Industrias Penoles SA (PE&OLES* MM), the world's largest silver producer, gained 82 centavos, or 4.6 percent, to 18.5 pesos.

TV Azteca SA (TVAZTCPO MM), Mexico's second-largest broadcaster, gained 4 centavos, or 1 percent, to 3.91 pesos. The stock has gained 25 percent since April 1. TV Azteca impressed the market with its recent rally,'' Carlos Perezalonso, an analyst at Grupo Financiero BBVA-Bancomer SA, wrote in a research note. We see positive developments on most operating issues.''

Brazil

Banco Itau SA (ITAU4 BS), the country's second-largest private bank, fell 6.01 reais, or 2.9 percent, to 200 reais, on concern a possible interest rate cut would reduce banks' profit.

Embratel Participacoes SA (EBTP4 BS), Brazil's largest long- distance operator, rose 10 centavos, or 1.8 percent, to 5.69 reais, adding to a 6.3 percent gain yesterday.

Telesp Celular Participacoes SA (TSPP4 BS), the country's largest wireless phone company, rose 5 centavos, or 1.1 percent, to 4.74 reais. We see attractive valuations in the Brazilian cellular companies as good operating performance continues,'' Vera Rossi, an analyst with Morgan Stanley, said in a report. Industry consolidation and reduction in country risk are the major catalysts, we believe, for stock performance.''

Argentina

Acindar Industria Argentina de Aceros (ACIN AR), Argentina's biggest maker of steel rods, rose 3 centavos, or 1.3 percent, to 2.31 pesos, tripling its price so far this year. The company will buy back $40 million worth of dollar-denominated debt as part of its debt restructuring. Acindar will pay $26 million in cash for the 11.25 percent bond due 2004 and ``certain'' of its dollar- denominated debt after holders accepted $650 per $1,000 of principal, the company said in a statement.

Banco Bansud SA (BSUD AR), rose 1 centavo, or 0.6 percent, to 1.66 pesos. Argentina's central bank lowered the minimum capital requirements for private banks and raised them for public banks, El Cronista reported, citing a central bank statement. The central bank said private banks will need to have 8 percent of their assets backed by their own capital, down from 11 percent, Cronista said.

Colombia

Banco de Bogota SA (BOGOTA CB), flagship of the largest banking group, declined 100, or 1.3 percent, to 7900. The stock has gained 64 percent in the last 12 months.

Almacenes Exito SA (EXITO CB), Colombia's largest retail group, declined 100, or 2.9 percent, to 3400, following yesterday's 8.5 percent gain.

Peru

Nonvoting shares of UCP Backus & Johnston SA (BJ PE), Peru's largest brewer, rose 3 centimos, or 2.2 percent, to 1.39 soles, recovering from losses earlier in the week after protesters seeking higher wages and lower taxes blocked highways all across Peru. The army reopened roads two days ago after President Alejandro Toledo declared a state of emergency.

Edegel SA (EDE PE), Peru's biggest privately owned electricity generator, rose 5 centimos, or 4.6 percent, to 1.15 soles, near a six-year high. The stock gained for a third day. Spain's Endesa SA (ELE SM) owns the company.

Venezuela

Mercantil Servicios Financieros CA (MVZ/A VC), holding company for Venezuela's largest bank, surged 200 bolivars, or 11 percent, to 2000 bolivars. The company said earlier this month first-quarter profit soared 53 percent. Shares have risen 52 percent since May 20.

CA Electricidad de Caracas (EDC VC), a subsidiary of AES Corp. and Venezuela's largest publicly-traded power company, climbed 8 bolivars, or 4.3 percent, to 193 bolivars. The company said earlier this month its first-quarter loss narrowed on operating cost cuts. The shares have risen 61 percent since May 19.

<a href=www.lapress.org>LatinAmericaPress Saturday,  June 7,  2003 May 30, 2003

Colombia, Cuba, Haiti and Venezuela were cited by the United States as countries with a "poor record" in the protection of human rights last year.

The US State Department Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, published March 31, state that the four countries did not "generally respect" human rights, measured by the number of abuses committed.

The reports — published annually since 1976 — are compiled using information from the US State Department, human rights groups, international bodies, academics and the media.

The governments of Cuba and Venezuela stated that the US has no right to make a unilateral qualification of other countries’ human rights records when, against the wishes of the United Nations, it recently conducted an invasion that violated human rights, referring to the war against Iraq.

Other countries such as Peru — accused of attempted state control of the media — stated that they only recognize the UN and the Organization of American States as authorities qualified to make such pronouncements.

In brief;

Drug traffickers, according to a US government report, have destroyed some 3.6 million hectares of Andean Region tropical rainforest in the last 20 years. At the same time, chemicals used in the production of drugs have contaminated many rivers.

On May 26 in Paraguay a judge acquitted 19 people — police, politicians and members of the military — accused of attempting to mount a coup against ex-President Luis Gonzáles Macchi in May 2000 (LP, June 12, 2000).

Although the Constitution of Guatemala prohibits former dictators from running for president (LP, May 21, 2003), on May 24 the Guatemalan Republican Front (FRG) chose retired Gen. Efraín Ríos Montt (1982-83), who is currently president of Congress, as its presidential candidate for the Nov. 9 elections.

The Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo announced May 9 the recuperation of another child of the disappeared in Argentina, the 75th, who was illegally appropriated by a member of the military during the last dictatorship (LP, Sept. 10, 2001). Horacio Pietragalla Corti, aged 27, whose parents were killed by the Argentinean Anti-Communist Association, was kidnapped when just six months old.

The number of impoverished people in Mexico rose by two million in the first two months of 2003, according to government figures. The Technical Committee for the Measurement of Poverty calculates that 55.7 million of the country’s total 100 million inhabitants live in poverty.

tcpalm.com Another crackpot Peronist is in charge, and the economic outlook is bleak.

May 30, 2003

Argentina's new president is off to a not-very-promising start. That's not great news for what should be one of Latin America's most prosperous and dynamic countries.

Nestor Kirchner was sworn in Sunday, the sixth in the last 18 months.

During that time, Argentina has defaulted on $141 billion in debt, unemployment is at 18 percent and about half of the population lives in poverty.

Kirchner is a Peronist, a member of the party that got Argentina in this fix through reckless government spending. After getting 22 percent of the vote in a first-round ballot, he won the presidency by default when his unpopular opponent dropped out.

During the campaign, he blamed American-style economic reforms for much of his nation's woes. At his swearing-in, he promised to defend domestic jobs and industry, which sounds a lot like protectionism.

Applauding heartily were invited guests Fidel Castro of Cuba and Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, neither an exemplar of growth and prosperity. One would think South America had had enough of zany leftist experiments.

The Argentine people deserve so much better than they've gotten from their government. Maybe Kirchner will be a surprise and turn the nation around. If he does, it will be just that — a surprise.

Posted on Thu, May. 29, 2003 Associated Press

LIMA, Peru - A Peruvian court sentenced fallen spy chief Vladimiro Montesinos to eight years in prison on embezzlement charges Thursday for giving a mayoral candidate $25,000 in public funds for a 1998 campaign.

Late Wednesday, Congress approved a charge of treason against exiled former President Alberto Fujimori, accusing him of authorizing the purchase of obsolete fighter planes in 1996, a year after Peru fought a border war with Ecuador.

A corruption scandal involving Montesinos triggered the November 2000 collapse of Fujimori's decade-long rule. Montesinos was captured in Venezuela in June 2001. Fujimori fled to Japan where he lives and is protected from extradition because he holds Japanese citizenship.

Peruvian prosecutors are piling up charges against Fujimori in hopes of persuading Tokyo to turn him over. The treason charge carries a 20-to-30 year sentence.

Prosecutors have already filed an array of charges against Fujimori, including the illegal wiretapping of journalists and political enemies, corruption, abandoning office and authorizing death squad killings. In March, Interpol placed Fujimori on its most wanted list.

The latest charge, which Congress approved 46-9, alleges that Fujimori put Peruvian soldiers' lives at risk by authorizing the purchase of outdated fighter jets from Belorussia.

By approving the charges, Congress lifted the immunity granted to Fujimori as a former president. It is now up to the Attorney General's office to file the charge and for courts to decide whether to open a trial.

Fujimori has denied any wrongdoing. He claims to be the target of political persecution and says the accusations lack proof and credible witnesses.

Montesinos conviction was the third for the one-feared spymaster, who faces some 70 trials.

The mayoral candidate, Luis Bedoya, received a five-year sentence, while former presidential aide Tomas Gonzales got three years for setting up the meeting between the two men.

The court fined the three a total of $571,500 and ordered Bedoya to return the illegal campaign contribution.

The offense was minor compared with other charges Montesinos faces that range from corruption to drug trafficking, arms dealing and directing a death squad.

Montesinos, 58, has already received a nine-year sentence in July for illegally taking control of Peru's intelligence agency. In March, he was sentenced to five years on influence peddling charges for helping to get his former mistress' brother out of jail.

With prison terms served concurrently in Peru, Thursday's sentence will not lead to more prison time.