Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has adopted a more combative re-election campaign strategy after opinion polls showed her trailing popular environmentalist candidate Marina Silva. Two election surveys this week showed Rousseff was the frontrunner in the first round ballot scheduled for October 5, but would lose to Silva, a former environment minister, in a likely runoff.
Argentina's Senate on Thursday passed a bill aimed at circumventing U.S. court decisions regarding its defaulted debt by changing payment jurisdiction, sending the proposal to the lower house Chamber of Deputies for final approval. The chamber, like the Senate, is controlled by government allies who are expected to vote the bill into law.
NML Capital Ltd, a creditor suing Argentina in the U.S. courts for full payment on defaulted debt, subpoenaed 18 banks last week in an effort to track down 65 million dollars in what it says is embezzled Argentine money laundered through the United States.
Recently released data shows that the Falkland Islands Gross Domestic Product (GDP) continues to be volatile: expanding considerably during some years and shrinking in others. For example, 2012, a year of intense hydrocarbons activity the per capita for a population of 2.562, in the books soared to £77.400.
With Brazil battling recession and inflation a month away from the presidential election, the Central bank kept its key interest rate on hold at 11%. Traders and analysts had forecast no change and the central bank's monetary policy commission (Copom) duly decided to leave all quiet following its monthly two-day meeting.
Falkland Islands elected lawmaker Dr. Barry Elsby, concluded a two day visit to Guatemala, aimed at defending the Islanders right of self-determination, and highlighting the economic opportunities in the Islands. Member of the Legislative Assembly Dr. Elsby is in the penultimate destination of his tour, a week ago and which also included Chile, Colombia, Panama and the last stop El Salvador.
The United Nations (UN) launched in Haiti, the second phase of the vaccination campaign against cholera, which was initiated and implemented by the Haitian authorities as part of the broader framework of the national plan for the elimination of cholera in the country.
Spain's flag carrier Iberia made its return to Uruguay on Monday after being out of the South American country's market for 18 months, marking the resumption of a route that will offer up to 2,300 seats to travelers on a weekly basis. Iberia, a unit of IAG, will be providing service on the Madrid-Montevideo and Montevideo-Madrid route with four weekly flights.
Former Colombian president Ernesto Samper was confirmed as Unasur Secretary General following a consultation of the group's member countries presidents. The announcement had been delayed because a Union of South American Nations summit to be held in Montevideo this month was suspended.
More than 56 million people have been lifted out of poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean in recent years, according to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). But despite the progress, it warned that some 200m people, or 37.8% of the population, remained vulnerable.