OZY.com
South America's Unlikely New Economic Hope: Paraguay

It would have been all too easy for foreigners visiting Paraguay at the turn of the 21st century to dismiss the landlocked country as little more than a languid backwater — scarred by a history of war, dictatorship and corruption, and with dim prospects. If they were to return now, they would hardly recognize the place.
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Gleaming skyscrapers have sprouted up across the capital, Asunción, over the past decade, a testament to the national rates of economic growth that are the envy of the rest of Latin America.... 

15 July 2019
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​Publisher:
Manning Group Limited

Editor:
Thomas Manning​

All Rights Reserved​ ​©​​
Axios
Mexico's López Obrador is delivering the populism he promised

When Andrés Manuel López Obrador triumphed one year ago, it was unclear whether Mexico had elected the revolutionary populist from the campaign trail, or the more pragmatic figure from his tenure as mayor of Mexico City. We may now have the answer.

The latest: Finance Minister Carlos Urzúa excoriated the leftist president on Tuesday, penning a resignation letter that accused him of failing to base policy on evidence and empowering ideologues over experts.

Between the lines: “Hope for pragmatism is fading,” says Shannon O’Neil of the Council on Foreign Relations....
New Zealand Herald
New Zealand boosts aid for Venezuelan crisis

New Zealand has boosted its aid for Venezuela's humanitarian crisis but again stopped short of endorsing an alternative government for the troubled South American nation.
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Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters on Tuesday announced the Government would be giving another $1.5 million in humanitarian assistance to help Venezuelan residents and those fleeing the country amid an economic collapse that's led to shortages in food, water, electricity and medicines. 

​"What is happening in Venezuela is a tragedy. Venezuela has gone from one of the most prosperous to one of the poorest countries in the region," Peters said....
ENGLISH LANGUAGE BUSINESS NEWS BY COUNTRY
LATIN AMERICAN COMMENTARY
​Media Columnist; ​Thomas Manning​
Buenos Aires Times
​New Zealand - The Loss of Innocence
EMA BusinessPlus Magazine
​Brazil's Messiah
'Black Gold Bonanza for Guyana' 
Columnist: Thomas Manning
DIPLOMATIC & TRADE NEWS
Chilean Navy Training Ship "Esmeralda" Visits Wellington
The 64th Training Voyage of the Chilean Navy Barquentine "Esmeralda"

The third largest tall ship in the world, the Chilean Navy Training Ship "Esmeralda", visited Wellington between 9 and 11 July after a 30 day voyage from the Port of Valparaíso on its 64th training cruise.

The iconic barquentine was built in Spain and bought by the Government of Chile in 1954 for use in training midshipmen, sailors and cadets and it last time visited Wellington was in 2012.

On its present 210 day voyage Esmeralda has a crew of 276 (66 marine guards, 36 sailors, 11 invited foreign officers (from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, USA, Portugal, Spain, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Canada and Mexico) and 4 members from other branches of the Chilean Armed Forces.

Over the years Esmeralda has visited more than 300 ports in the world and received many Heads of State, diplomats, military chiefs, media and public in general. 
The Hon Ron Mark, New Zealand Minister of Defence (pictured in centre above with HE Rodrigo Espinosa Marty, Ambassador of Chile, 2nd from right​) and high ranking officials of the NZ armed forces visited the ship in Wellington along with members of Parliament, Diplomatic Corps, academia and friends of Chile. 

After Wellington Esmeralda will call at Auckland, Sydney, Bali, Singapore, Hong Kong, Busan, Tokyo, Honolulu, Papeete and Hanga Roa before returning to its home port of Valparaiso.

During port visits the Esmeralda crew will be participating in environmental protection projects such as cleaning-up a beach in Bali, Indonesia and delivering more than 4,000 reusable bags made of cotton.

​Esmeralda will also serve as "Chile's floating Embassy” to advance the interests of the APEC Summit 2019 in Chile as some of her visits are to the ports of APEC countries in Asia. ​
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New Zealand Foreign Minister and Ambassadors Out and About in Latin America
On July 3, 2019 the Government of the Republic of Chile welcomed the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand, the Rt Hon Winston Peters.  President Sebastian Piñera welcomed Minister Peters to La Moneda Palace. They had a wide-ranging discussion, in which they renewed the commitment of both countries to strengthen their long-standing and close relationship. Minister Peters also met with Teodoro Ribera, Minister of Foreign Affairs (pictured above with Minister Peters), and Antonio Walker, Minister of Agriculture - Photo credit Government of Chile

​Click here for Joint Statement.
NZ Ambassador to Brazil, HE Chris Langley, joined the Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply of Goiás State, Antônio Carlos de Souza Lima Neto; Superintendent of SENAR-GO, Dirceu Borges; Deputy Minister of Commerce and International Relations of the Ministry of Agriculture, Flávio Bettarello and Federal Deputy Loester Trutis, President of the Brazil & NZ Parliamentary Group (pictured above with Ambassador Langley) in a late June visit a milk production (NZ model) training course for 45 SENAR Goiás State technicians at the Kiwi Livestock Farm, near Anápolis-GO. The course is offered by the NZ consultancy QCONZ in partnership with the Federation of Agriculture of the State of Goiás (FAEG) - Photo credit Kiwi Pecuaria Facebook (Kiwi Livestock)
The NZ Ambassador to Mexico. HE Mark Sinclair, (pictured second from right above) with a team from the New Zealand Embassy marched in the Mexico City 2019 Gay Pride March on 29 June.  The March was the 41st annual parade in support of the Gay Community with over one million people joining the celebration known locally as the Marcha del Orgullo Lésbico, Gay, Bisexual, Transgénero, Travesti, Transexual e intersexual (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Transsexual, Transvestite and Intersex Pride March).  Starting at the Angel of Independence in the Zona Rosa the March ended with an all-night party in the Zocalo - Photo credit: NZ Embassy in Mexico Facebook

A Brazilian Business and Academic Delegation is scheduled to visit New Zealand in October 2019 for a round of visits and meetings with local businesses, research centres and government organizations.

Led by entrepreneurs Mr Roberto Salazar and Prof. Rogério Bohn, the delegation consists of Brazilian businessmen with varied backgrounds ranging from retail to construction and cooperative credit, among others.

​The mission will visit Auckland and Wellington to get to know the business environment in New Zealand.  Please contact the Brazilian Embassy for more details.
The Argentine Government has set up a special agency to assist foreign investors through all investment stages (analysis, decision making, execution, post-investment and reinvestment).  You can Contact the agency here & View or Download the Investment Guide.
'Crouching Tiger' - Latin America in China's sights
Columnist: Thomas Manning
LATIN AMERICAN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS​
10 July 2019 - Regional growth is seen remaining soft in 2019

​Regional growth is seen remaining soft this year and the forecast was cut for the fourth month in a row in July. Trade tensions and subdued external demand will hamper exports, and spillover into investment, which is also being held back by political uncertainty in key economies. Activity is expected to be sluggish in major players Brazil and Mexico, while Argentina will remain in recession.
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Brazil Economic Outlook

Incoming data suggests that the economy is struggling to gain momentum after GDP contracted for the first time since the 2015–2016 recession in Q1.....

Mexico Economic Outlook

Although the United States shelved its so-called immigration tariffs on Mexican imports before they went into effect in early June, the ordeal’s toll on economic sentiment highlighted the degree to which uncertainty has been hounding the economy this year.....
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Colombia Economic Outlook

Available data suggests that the relatively weak dynamics of Q1 persisted in the second quarter. Retail sales growth eased in April.....

Argentina Economic Outlook

GDP continued to dive in Q1, on the back of another sharp contraction in domestic demand, only partially cushioned by a stronger external sector. Nevertheless, available indicators for Q2 point to a significant improvement: The pace of contraction eased markedly in April.....
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Competitiveness: Brazil, Mexico Improve

Brazil, Mexico and Colombia improved while Argentina, Chile and Peru worsened their competitiveness the past year, according to the latest competitiveness ranking from Swiss-based business school IMD.....
​Brazil Business: Bolsonaro Disappoints

As Jair Bolsonaro marks his first six months as Brazil’s president on July 1, there is unfortunately little to celebrate and plenty to be disappointed about.  His cornerstone pension reform is still being debated in Congress. If it passes it will be largely thanks to Speaker Rodrigo Maia and despite Bolsonaro, who has utterly failed to lobby for it effectively.  Meanwhile, the goodwill Bolsonaro gained from his key economic appointments are starting to wither away thanks to his own actions as well as those by his sons and extremist members of his administration.....
'New Zealand and the Loss of Innocence'
Columnist: Thomas Manning'

​VIDEO - LATIN AMERICAN / NZ BUSINESS & ECONOMICS​​
IMF Chief admits underestimating Argentina's economic situation

The International Monetary Fund has admitted it made mistakes in Argentina. Managing Director Christine Lagarde claims they 'underestimated the complicated economic situation in the south American country'.
Venezuela's inflation rate drops to 445,500%

Venezuela's monthly inflation rate dropped for the second straight month in June.  The latest rate nearly halved from over 800-thousand percent in May. According to an opposition lawmaker Wednesday,... workers' salaries are still not nearly enough to cover the rising cost of consumer goods in the collapsing South American economy. The official minimum wage is 40-thousand bolivars a month, equivalent to less than six U.S. dollars.  
New Zealand must keep pushing for free-trade

A weekly New Zealand Herald  Videocast  about the NZ economy by Business Editor Liam Dann & Guests... 
'Brazil's Messiah' - A new President takes Charge
Columnist: Thomas Manning

​CULTURAL NEWS​​

The Guardian
​​João Gilberto obituary

One of the most important figures in Brazilian music who was known as the father of bossa nova, João Gilberto, who has died aged 88.  He was one of the most important and best loved figures in Brazilian music, who developed the bossa nova in the late 1950s and early 60s.

​Along with the composer Antônio Carlos “Tom” Jobim, he created a romantic, reflective new style in which samba rhythms were mixed with influences from the American “cool jazz” scene. As a guitarist, he pioneered a new technique that mixed the syncopated plucking of acoustic guitar chords with jazz-influenced harmonies....

​RECOMMENDED VIEWING FROM NETFLIX'S LATIN AMERICAN CONTENT
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'Quid Pro Quo for Venezuela'
Columnist Thomas Manning

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​New Zealand Trade & Enterprise, July 2019
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​'Latin American Business Digest' © is a free fortnightly E-digest aggregating New Zealand - Latin American Business News, Economic Analysis, Market Reports & Video published by Manning Group Limited and edited by Thomas Manning who has advised on and managed projects for New Zealand companies in Latin America for over 30 years,  Thomas is a former Vice President of the Latin America New Zealand Business Council and is a Buenos Aires Times Columnist who also writes regularly for EMA's BusinessPLus Magazine. Thomas' Linkedin Profile & Media Archive

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'New Broom in Mexico'
 Columnist; Thomas Manning
 'Muy Simpatico, Mr Tabuteau'
 Columnist; Thomas Manning

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With 40 years’ marketplace experience and exports to more than twenty countries from its plant in Rosario, Argentina, Condor Group SRL is a world-class manufacturer with divisions dedicated to industrial power generation, industrial air compressors and pneumatic equipment, and specialized tyre reconstruction for commercial fleet operators.
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​Richardson & Associates is the Southern Cone's leading Law Firm & Patent Attorneys specalising in New Zealand Trade



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​Camara del Asia y el Pacifico is a Buenos Aires-based chamber of commerce with member companies dealing with foreign trade, banking, finance, air and sea transport, insurance, tourism, education, investment,  services in Asia and the Pacific.


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​Transpacific Business Tours’ directors have a successful track-record of over 30 years in tour management in New Zealand and throughout Latin America with a focus on Delegations & Trade Missions as well as personally guided tours tailored for investors & business people.
Transpolar flight grows NZ trade opportunities in Latin America
Columnist; Thomas Manning
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