Latin America
Latin AmericaRecord FDI year confirms Latam as commodities supplier but with little technology input
Latin America and the Caribbean received last year a record 173.361 billion dollars in foreign direct investment (FDI) (6.7% more than in 2011), despite an international context characterized by shrinking FDI flows worldwide, according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).
New WTO chief says it’s time for ‘modulating’ ambition and pushing protectionism back
Brazil’s Roberto Azevedo vowed to revive the deadlocked World Trade Organisation, as he was confirmed this week as the incoming leader of the body which sets the rules for global commerce.
Argentine inflation controversy: court vindicates private stats agencies
An Argentine appeals court threw out the fines that Domestic Trade Secretary Guillermo Moreno had slapped on private firms that issued inflation estimates that were much higher than the government’s official rate.
Under Brazilian suggestion, Maduro says he is prepared for political dialogue with Capriles
Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro said he is prepared for political dialogue with the leader of the opposition Henrique Capriles to ensure peace in the country, even if it means “talking to the devil”. He also warned that United States must “give a huge leap forward” if relations as equals are to be advanced between Caracas and Washington.
Petrobras completes record bond offering and collects 11 billion dollars
Brazil’s state-controlled oil firm Petrobras sold 11 billion dollars of global debt on Monday in the largest-ever bond offering by a Latin American company. The deal was split in six tranches comprised of fixed- and floating-rate debt with maturities ranging from three to 30 years, according to a report from Thomson Reuters.
Venezuela’s only opposition television network sold to a group close to the government
Globovision, Venezuela's only opposition television network which had a long history of clashes with the populist government of deceased President Hugo Chavez and his Bolivarian revolution, was sold Monday and will change its critical coverage, network officials said.
“This channel already has been sold off,” the network's website said in a statement.
Maduro trying to deal with his main challenges: food scarcity and inflation
President Nicolas Maduro accused Lorenzo Mendoza, owner of Empresas Polar SA, Venezuela’s largest privately held company, of reducing food production and creating shortages amid record scarcity and the region’s fastest inflation close to 30%.
German president in Brazil to promote trade and investments
German President Joachim Gauck arrived on Sunday to Brazil with economic and trade issues as the centre of his visit. The trip to Sao Paulo marks the start of the Year of Germany in Brazil, which Gauck's predecessor Christian Wulff agreed on with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff in May 2011.
UK ambassador praises Chilean judicial system in case involving death of British citizen in 1973
This week a Chilean court found two retired naval officers guilty in connection with the kidnapping, torture and murder of a Chilean-British citizen in September 1973; UK Ambassador Jon Benjamin made a statement about the verdicts in trial of those accused.
Change of policy? Obama hosts Chile and Peru presidents; Biden visits Brazil and Colombia
The White House announced that Peruvian President Ollanta Humala and Chile’s President Sebastian Piñera will travel to Washington in June and meet with President Barack Obama. The White House also said that Vice President Joe Biden’s next week will visit Brazil and Colombia with a stop in Trinidad and Tobago.
