Stories for February 24th 2010
UN praises Latinamerican social policies to confront global crisis
The United Nations development agency stressed the need for good social policies to help Latin America deal with the impact of the global economic crisis, which threatens to undo the progress achieved in the region in fighting poverty and other socio-economic ills.
Latinamerica Economic Climate on the rise: Brazil, Uruguay, Peru lead
Latinamerica’s Economic Climate Index (ECI), --developed between the German Ifo Institute from the University of Munich and Brazil’s Getulio Vargas Foundation, FGV-- increased to 5.6 points from 5.2 between October 2009 and January 2010, consolidating the trend of economic recovery in the region.
Venezuela facilitates travel to Mercosur and associate members’ citizens
Citizens from Mercosur full members and some associate countries will be allowed to travel to Venezuela with no need of a passport, simply with their national ID, as of next Thursday announced Venezuela’s Identification and Foreigners office.
Officially recession is over but Mexico’s economy contracted 6.5% in 2009
Mexico’s GDP shrank by 6.5% last year amid the global recession, greater than the 6.2% of 1995 but the less severe end of the range of 6.5 percent to 7.5% decline forecast by the Mexican central bank.
Mexico gives birth to the Community of Latinamerican and Caribbean States
Latinamerican and Caribbean nations are to set up a new regional bloc of all the countries in the Americas, with the exception of the United States and Canada. The decision was formalized Tuesday at a regional summit of the so called Rio Group in the Mexican resort of Cancun.
Falklands: UK willing to talk with Argentina but not sovereignty; Taiana at UN
The United Kingdom said on Tuesday it was willing to re-open talks with Argentina but not on Falkland Islands sovereignty or the development by the Islanders of a hydrocarbons industry. The statement came on the eve of a meeting of Argentina’s Foreign minister Jorge Taiana with UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.
New Latam block “consistent with US goals for the hemisphere”
The new Latin American and Caribbean bloc planned without regional neighbours Canada and the United States are consistent with US goals for the region, a State Department spokesman said Tuesday
US “neutral” on Falklands” dispute but recognizes UK administration
The United States has a “neutral” stance regarding the question of the Falklands/Malvinas sovereignty but recognizes the current British administration of the Islands, said US State Department spokesperson during the daily press conference.
Brazil’s Lula da Silva blasts US Security Council and Britain
Brazilian president Lula da Silva condemned on Tuesday the United Nations Organization (UN) and its Security Council for not recognizing Argentina's sovereignty over the Malvinas/Falkland Islands.
Group of Rio members to help Colombia/Venezuela diffuse tensions
Latin American leaders will work to diffuse tensions between Colombia and Venezuela after presidents Alvaro Uribe and Hugo Chavez, got into a shouting match and exchange of insults at the Rio Group summit in Mexico.
