Venezuela routinely violates the rights of its citizens, using the punitive power of the state to intimidate and punish people for their political opinions, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) said Wednesday.
United States stocks rose on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve chairman reaffirmed his commitment to keep interest rates low for an extended period to sustain the still fragile recovery. Ben Bernanke told Congress a weak job market and tame inflation warranted keeping rates close to their near-zero level for the time being.
Argentina's trade surplus widened 25% in January from the same month a year ago as both exports and imports rose, signalling an economic recovery is underway.
The acting governor of Brazil's federal district resigned this week in connection with a corruption scandal that has tarnished one of the main opposition parties and could affect the campaign of front-runner Jose Serra in this October's presidential race.
Spanish president Jose Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and European Commission president Jose Manuel Durao Barroso said they were confident of a successful conclusion of trade and cooperation agreements the EU is currently in the process of negotiations with Latinamerica.
World Trade Organisation director-general Pascal Lamy said on Wednesday that international trade fell by 12% in 2009, a marked deterioration on previous estimates which put the drop closer to 10%.
A report released this week in Mexico by the inter American Development Bank, (IDB) forecasts a good year for Latinamerican countries exports of commodities and energy but a slower recovery for Central America and the Caribbean more dependent on tourism and remittances.
Scientists are breeding a genetically altered strain of mosquito in an effort to curb the spread of dengue fever. The dengue virus is spread by the bite of infected female mosquitoes and there is no vaccine or treatment.
Sperm whales may team up and hunt collaboratively, scientists have suggested. A US research team used hi-tech tags to glimpse some of the giant marine mammals' remarkable hunting behaviour.
Cuban security agents detained dissidents across the country to prevent protests at the funeral of a leading dissident who died on a prison hunger strike and which has sparked international indignation. Cuban president Raul Castro said he regrets the death of Orlando Zapata and denies the rights activist had been tortured.