Latin America

• Monday, March 2nd 2009 - 23:00 UTC

  Cuban cabinet surprise reshuffle leaves out top figures

  

  In a surprise move Cuban radio and television announced Monday a cabinet restructuring which included the removal of some of its most visible and political top officials, including Vice President Carlos Lage and Foreign Minister Felipe P?rez Roque.

• Sunday, March 1st 2009 - 23:00 UTC

  Venezuela's Chavez sends soldiers to take over rice mills

  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez sent troops on Saturday to temporarily take over rice processing plants. Chavez accused some firms of overcharging by refusing to produce rice at prices set by the government and warned some companies could be nationalised if they tried to interfere with supplies of the grain.

• Sunday, March 1st 2009 - 23:00 UTC

  Mexico's oil company Pemex reports massive loss in 2008

  Mexico's government owned oil and gas company Pemex reported a fourth-quarter net loss of 115 billion pesos (8.3 billion US dollars) on Friday, 254% more than in the year-ago period on declining crude exports, low oil prices and currency losses.

• Thursday, February 26th 2009 - 23:00 UTC

  Dengue spreading in South America; kills 19 in Bolivia

  

  Bolivia suffering one of its worst dengue epidemics in decades reported 19 deaths of the more extreme variant haemorrhagic and 30.000 cases of the mild classic disease transmitted by mosquito bites.

• Wednesday, February 25th 2009 - 23:00 UTC

  Prince Charles and Camila expected in Chile in early March

  

  The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will be visiting Chile from Sunday 8 March to Wednesday 11 March 2009. According to a release from the British Embassy in Santiago Charles and Camila are scheduled to have an audience with Chilean president Michelle Bachelet Monday morning, March 9th.

• Wednesday, February 25th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Chile's oil company ENAP reports net loss of a billion USD

  

  Chile's government owned oil and gas corporation, ENAP reported a net loss of 958 million US dollars in 2008 after the company's refinery unit lost money on purchasing imported crude oil.

• Wednesday, February 25th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Peruvian president García in an opinion poll upturn

  The promotion of private investment and an improved image of Peru abroad boosted President Alan Garcia's approval rating to 32% this month, pollster Ipsos-Apoyo said in a national survey published Sunday in the newspaper El Comercio.

• Tuesday, February 24th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Implementation of Chilean stimulus plan boosts Peso

  

  The Chilean peso surged on Tuesday following the announcement the government would sell US dollars on the local market to finance a massive fiscal stimulus package. The peso closed at 603.30/603.80 per dollar compared to Monday's 624.00/624.50 per dollar.

• Tuesday, February 24th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Dakar Rally will again be hosted by Argentina and Chile

  

  The Chilean government confirmed this week that Chile and Argentina will again be co-hosting the 2010 edition of the Dakar Rally which for the first time took place this summer in both South American countries including the crossing of the mighty Andes cordillera.

• Sunday, February 22nd 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Venezuela's Chavez: Unexpected and brief visit to Cuba

  

  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez arrived this weekend in Havana for a “working visit” with his Cuban colleague, Raul Castro, an official communique published Saturday in the island's press said without offering further details