Caked in mud as he digs trenches and lays explosives intended to thwart the Taleban, he may not look like a man who has a lot of money.
Saturday kicks off four days of Fiestas Patrias celebrations as the entire Chilean nation celebrates its Declaration of Independence from Spain, nearly two centuries ago.
Chile is poised to become Latinamerica's fifth largest economy, ahead of Colombia according to estimates from the International Monetary Fund. Chile GDP is forecasted to reach 140.3 billion US dollars and Colombia's 129.3 billion.
Latinamerican countries could be better prepared to face the risk of recession if they followed the example of Chile and saved some of their budget surpluses by converting them into stabilisation funds, suggested the IMF during its annual joint assembly with the World Bank in Singapore.
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan paid tribute to Fidel Castro for his global leadership and called on developing nations yesterday to accept new responsibilities at home and around the world.
Just hours after Bolivian President Evo Morales said he trusted differences could be worked out with Brazil's Petrobras, riled by a move to seize its refinery revenue, Morales' energy minister resigned.