Latin America

• Thursday, January 17th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Fidel: Argentina and Brazil “life-jackets” for Latam economy

  

  Cuban leader Fidel Castro, who remains in a convalescent state hospitalized in Havana because of gastrointestinal problems, wrote an essay which became public yesterday where he stated that Argentina and Brazil could “be the life-jackets” of the Latin America region's economy, because of their production of meat and cereals.

• Thursday, January 17th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Bolivia's Morales and rebel governors agree to seek compromise

  

  Divided Bolivia took a tentative step toward reconciliation as President Evo Morales and opposition governors agreed to seek a compromise between Morales' new constitution and declarations of autonomy by four resource rich eastern states.

• Thursday, January 17th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Chile summons ambassador in Lima over limit dispute

  Chile summoned home its ambassador to Peru for consultations amid a growing dispute over the countries maritime boundary and lucrative fishing grounds. Foreign Minister Alejandro Foxley said Ambassador Cristian Barros was due in Santiago Thursday or Friday “for a long conversation”.

• Tuesday, January 15th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  FARC robs Colombian tourists and takes six hostages

  

  Colombia's biggest rebel group cocaine funded FARC kidnapped six Colombian tourists in the western province of Choco, daily El Tiempo reported in its online edition.

• Tuesday, January 15th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Lula visits Cuba with an option for Venezuelan influence

  President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva arrived Tuesday in Havana for a 24-hour visit to strengthen economic ties with Cuba. He is expected to sign a series of trade, cooperation and investment agreements in spite of the US economic embargo

• Tuesday, January 15th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Infectious anemia extends among Chilean salmon farms

  Marine Harvest, the world's leading farmed fish producer, continues to be hit hard by the so-called “biological situation” in Chile. On Monday, shares in Marine Harvest fell by some 4.6% after the Norwegian-owned company issued a press statement admitting it did not reach its production forecasts in Chile

• Tuesday, January 15th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Chile united to defend maritime border dispute with Peru

  

  The political parties of the Chilean ruling coalition Concertación, the opposition Alianza alliance and the Communist Party (PC) gave their full backing Monday to the government's plan to defend Chile's northern maritime border against claims by neighboring Peru. The two countries seek to resolve the maritime issue at the International Court of Justice at The Hague.

• Monday, January 14th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Freed Colombian hostages condemn kidnaps as “torture”

  The two Colombian hostages liberated by the cocaine funded FARC, Clara Rojas and Consuelo Gonzalez de Perdomo described the guerrilla methods as “brutal” and condemned kidnapping as a crime against humanity.

• Monday, January 14th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Magallanes oil/gas exploration contracts ready for next March

  

  Chile's Ministry of Mines expects to sign next March oil operating contracts with the corporations that have won licences to explore and exploit hydrocarbons in the extreme south of the country reports La Prensa Austral from Punta Arenas.

• Monday, January 14th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Released Colombian hostage meets baby son after three years

  

  Released Colombian hostage Clara Rojas had an emotional reunion Sunday in Bogota with her son Emmanuel, three years after he was taken from her while she was in captivity in Colombia's jungle, according to government sources.