The Uruguayan government on Thursday appointed Diego Escuder as acting foreign minister, following the resignation earlier this week of Francisco Bustillo, who was embroiled in a scandal over the issuance of a passport to known drug trafficker Sebastián Marset.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva said Wednesday in Montevideo that he agreed to open up Mercosur and pursue a free trade agreement (FTA) with China.