Uruguay 12/02/12
Opening of old and new markets for Uruguayan products; white slavery criminals captured; carnival goes on with spectacular parades.
Argentina and Mexico open for business with Uruguay
This week Argentina finally committed to allowing the entry of Uruguayan products to their domestic market. Several items had been blocked due to Argentinean administrative measures in the past.
The Uruguayan government had been ready to send off a special delegation to unblock the exchange. Yet, this was not necessary as Argentina reacted positively beforehand.
Teresa Aishemberg, the executive secretary of the Uruguayan Union of Exports, hopes that from now on there will be no other obstacles to the entry of Uruguayan products to the neighboring country.
At the same time, she recalled that there are several issues with Argentina in other areas. Yet now the most important is to “institutionalizet Mercosur, and that it works as it should”.
Meanwhile, Jorge Panizza president of Conaprole, one of the most important companies in Uruguay, announced the opening of the Mexican market for their powder milk.
This arrangement is framed within the treaty of free commerce between Mexico and Uruguay, which was signed in 2002.
White slavery criminals captured
Uruguayan justice managed to capture three persons responsible for white slavery. Two males and one female were recruiting young girls to be models, but afterwards they converted them into high-class prostitutes.
Under the nickname “El Negro Jose Miguel”, one of the men promised fame, money and fortune to interest girls who wanted a career in modeling. Around 40 women in Montevideo and 20 in Punta del Este were victims of his lies during the past two years.
This is the first time that the Law 18.250 passed in 2008 has been applied. It deals with white slavery, and it punishes it with 18 years of prison.
The investigation started two years ago after an anonymous report. Yet, it was not until mid 2011 that they identified the man responsible, “El Negro Jose Miguel”. It then started the “White Operation” that finally captured the criminals this week.
The criminal outfit worked with top businessmen, who were willing to pay between 1,000 US dollars to 3,000 US dollars for the girls in Punta del Este.
The Carnival goes on
“Tronar de Tambores” won the competition once again in the “Desfile de Llamadas” parade. There were 40 groups participating in the parade between two nights of performance.
Julio “Piel Kanela” Sosa directs the awarding “comparsa”. This will be his 60th competition in the parades. In his words, “ I came here for the first time in the year 1954, and I will never leave. I will always come, no matter what it takes.”
Around 30,000 people attended the parade on Thursday, and 35,000 on Friday with the arrival of tourists. For this, 540 policemen were in service taking care of organization and security.
