High production costs have orange growers in Brazil, the world's top orange juice exporter, bracing for a tough citrus season, despite last season's record harvest and high juice prices.
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff's approval rating fell for the first time since her term began in January 2011 as concern about inflation and sluggish economic growth grew. Rousseff's presidency was rated as good or excellent fell to 57% from 65% in the previous poll.
Argentina reaffirmed on Monday its “inalienable right” over the Malvinas and other South Atlantic Islands, and its “strong will to promptly restart negotiations with the United Kingdom” over the what it considers to be an “unacceptable and anachronic colonial situation”. Argentina also complains about the March referendum held in the Falklands last March.
With inflation in May reaching 6.1%, the highest monthly rate in 17 years, mostly because of the shortage of basic foods, some states in Venezuela are already planning food rationing fearing the situation could worsen. The Venezuela's Central Bank released the figure on Friday.
Member States from of the Organization of American States (OAS), meeting in Antigua, Guatemala at the 43rd General Assembly, declared on Friday “that it is essential that the Hemisphere continue to advance in a coordinated manner in the search for effective solutions to the world drug problem with a comprehensive integrated, strengthened, balanced and multidisciplinary approach with full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
President Sebastián Piñera expressed great concern over the “demographic seism” facing Chile because of the low birth rate and ageing population, during an event at Government House where he announced some of the initiatives taken by his government.
Chilean President Sebastian Piñera blasted the environmental review process that led to a permit for Barrick Gold’s, now-suspended 8.5 billion dollar Pascua-Lama gold mine project.
Consumer prices edged up 0.3% in Brazil last month, fuelled by higher medicine, clothing and housing prices, with 12-month inflation at 6.5%, the state statistics agency said on Friday. The May increase, in line with market analysts' forecasts, was lower than the 0.5% recorded in April and the lowest since June 2012.
Amnesty International said that British authorities in their meetings with visiting Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos should not allow a ‘focus on commercial diplomacy to come at the cost of raising human rights. President Santos is basically on a business and trade visit to the UK, but is also expected to address issues of ‘security and intelligence”.
President Juan Manuel Santos revealed on Friday in London that Colombia has been cooperating with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, “since a long time”. Last June first the Colombian Executive announced that the Ministry of Defence was going to sign an agreement with NATO “to begin the process of becoming closer to NATO”.