
Cruise visitors to Punta Arenas, extreme south of Chile during this last 2014/15 season increased by 30%, with 48 vessel calls between last October and April this year, according to Chilean migration and international police records. This represents 78.872 cruise passengers, and is an increase over the 35 calls from the previous season 2013/2014.

No way, I've never thought of resigning or stepping down said emphatically Chilean president Michelle Bachelet on Wednesday, following a barrage of media rumors which echoed in the social networks during Holy Week, which in South America in a long weekend holiday.

Heavy rains in Chile's northern desert regions have caused mudslides and rivers to breach their banks, leaving residents stranded and forcing top copper miner Codelco to suspend mining operations.

Peru said it was withdrawing its ambassador from Chile, amid an intensifying diplomatic spat that was sparked by accusations of military espionage. The Peruvian government is prosecuting two non-commissioned officers in its navy and investigating a third for allegedly spying for neighboring Chile.

A Chilean judge ordered the arrest of Carlos Alberto Delano and Carlos Eugenio Lavin, owners of the financial holding company Penta Group, and four associates who face tax fraud and bribery charges.

The United Kingdom Newton-Picarte Fund supported Chilean researchers to participate in the Royal Academy of Engineering's innovation program. Under the Leaders Innovation Fellowships scheme, 15 Chilean researchers, who are already VIU CONICYT grant receivers, travelled to London and Oxford to attend a 10 day residential program.

Argentina and Chile defense ministers, Agustín Rossi and Jorge Burgos, attended this week a historic ceremony in which they signed a document declaring Tierra del Fuego free of anti-personal mines. During the meeting minister Rossi blamed the UK for not allowing Argentina to clear the mines in the Falklands/Malvinas Islands.

By Hugo Swire of the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office - A year ago I spoke at a summit in London hosted by the Financial Times and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) about how the UK could work most effectively with the ‘Pacific Alliance’.

A volcano in Villarrica, southern Chile erupted early Tuesday morning, spewing lava into the sky and causing about 3,500 people to evacuate. The volcano, which is one of South America's most active, sent ash and smoke 3,300 feet into the air at about 3 a.m. local time. It did not cause any injuries to people or damage to infrastructure, according to the Chilean e-news Emol.com.

Argentina and Chile on Monday will hold a ceremony certifying that the Chilean territory of Tierra del Fuego has been completely swept of mines, dating back to the late seventies, and in accordance with the 1999 Ottawa Convention commitments.