News from South America
MercoPress South Atlantic News Agency
- Signing of EU-Mercosur FTA postponed to January
on December 19, 2025The highly anticipated signing of the free trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), originally scheduled for this Saturday in Foz do Iguaçu, has been officially postponed until January following a surge in domestic pressure and mass protests by European farmers.
- Argentine gas brings relief to electricity generation in Uruguay
on December 19, 2025Uruguay's state-owned electricity company UTE (technically the Administración Nacional de Usinas y Transmisiones Eléctricas) announced this week that importing gas from neighboring Argentina has resulted in savings of around US$3 million in the first seven days.
- Paraguay's guaraní is most stable currency in the region, Bloomberg finds
on December 19, 2025Paraguay's guaraní (PY₲) has been highlighted as the most stable and highest-performing currency in Latin America for 2025. In a report published this week by the specialized outlet Bloomberg Línea, the Paraguayan currency has appreciated over 17% against the US dollar this year, outperforming Mexican and Colombian pesos.
- Argentina: National Bioethics Commission created
on December 19, 2025The Argentine government has officially established the National Bioethics Commission through Decree 893/2025. Operating under the Ministry of Health, this new body will serve as the country's sole regulatory authority on health-related ethical evaluations and scientific research.
- Health alerts issued in Chile and Bolivia following superflu detections
on December 19, 2025Health authorities in Chile and Bolivia have activated emergency epidemiological protocols following the confirmed arrival of a new, highly transmissible variant of Influenza A (H3N2), known as the K subclade (also referred to as "supereflu").
- Peru purchasing South Korean tanks in major defense deal
on December 19, 2025Peru has signed a strategic framework agreement with South Korean defense firm Hyundai Rotem to purchase 54 K2 Black Panther battle tanks and 141 K808 armored personnel carriers, signaling a total modernization of the South American country's capabilities in this regard.
- Falklands, Government congratulates newly elected Members of Legislative Assembly
on December 18, 2025The Falkland Islands Government has congratulated all newly elected Members of the Legislative Assembly following the General Election held on Thursday 11 December, followed by the swearing ceremony.
- Falklands and South Georgia stand out in WOAH "Devastating Biodiversity Loss" report on HPAI
on December 18, 2025The World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) has released a critical statement on the devastating impact of High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) on wildlife populations worldwide. The organization reports that the current panzootic is causing unprecedented ecological disruption and mortality rates across a rapidly expanding range of species.
- Lula issues ultimatum as Meloni and Macron stall EU-Mercosur FTA
on December 18, 2025Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva issued a sharp ultimatum to European leaders on Wednesday, declaring that if the long-awaited EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is not signed this Saturday, he will abandon negotiations for the remainder of his presidency.
- Brazil: Senate passes bill slashing sentences for Jan 8 convicts
on December 18, 2025In a decisive 48-25 vote on Wednesday, the Brazilian Senate approved the controversial "Dosimetry Bill" (PL 2162/2023), a measure that drastically reduces prison sentences for those convicted in the January 8, 2023, riots and the alleged coup plot.