Latin America

• Friday, August 16th 2013 - 02:57 UTC

  Paraguay new president pledges ‘war on poverty’ and improved relations with neighbours

  

  Conservative businessman Horacio Cartes was sworn in as president of Paraguay on Thursday, amid slowly improving relations with South American neighbors, and Mercosur members, damaged by the 2012 removal of populist President Fernando Lugo, who was impeached on incompetence.

• Thursday, August 15th 2013 - 03:51 UTC

  Mercosur controversy, Cartes main challenge when he takes office on Thursday

  

  Most presidents and top authorities that will attend the inauguration of Paraguayan president-elect Horacio Cartes on Thursday morning arrived in Asunción on Wednesday and most of them have already held private meetings with the future leader of the country.

• Thursday, August 15th 2013 - 03:45 UTC

  With defiant fury Cristina Fernandez launched the campaign for October election

  

  In an extremely aggressive speech in the aftermath of primaries defeat, Argentine president Cristina Fernandez blasted the media for misinterpreting electoral results, charged against the Mayor of Tigre Sergio Massa who was the big winner on Sunday, pressed for full commitment from her allies and promised more of the same in support of the ‘socially inclusive model’.

• Thursday, August 15th 2013 - 03:37 UTC

  Argentina July inflation 2.55% and 24.9% in twelve months, says congressional index

  

  Argentina’s inflation according to the ‘congressional index’ reached 2.55% in July and 24.9% in the last twelve months was announced on Wednesday by members from the opposition in the Lower House.

• Wednesday, August 14th 2013 - 19:36 UTC

  After inflation hits 42%, Maduro names a more pragmatic president to the Central bank

  

  Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro appointed the third central bank president this year as Latin America’s biggest oil exporter seeks to rein in the fastest inflation among the world’s major economies.

• Wednesday, August 14th 2013 - 19:24 UTC

  Bachelet pledges mining reforms, including royalties, to help finance programs

  

  Chile's presidential frontrunner Michelle Bachelet says she is studying possible changes to mining policy in the world's top copper producing country. The possible changes include altering mining royalties and funding programs for state-owned mining company Codelco.

• Wednesday, August 14th 2013 - 03:13 UTC

  Chevron-YPF partnership splits the Argentina/Ecuador ‘progressive’ entente

  

  US petroleum giant Chevron has warned that the continuing legal battle with Ecuador's government over pollution charges could put in jeopardy the company's partnership with YPF to exploit the Vaca Muerta shale reserves in the Patagonian province of Neuquén, Argentina.

• Wednesday, August 14th 2013 - 03:06 UTC

  Mexico to open state-run oil industry to private sector ending 75-year constitutional ban

  

  Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto is making the most daring gamble of his 8-month-old presidency with a proposal to lift a 75 year-old ban on private companies investing in the state-run oil industry, a cornerstone of Mexico’s national pride that’s seen production plummet in recent decades.

• Wednesday, August 14th 2013 - 03:03 UTC

  Paraguay new government will give priority to bilateral relations, later Mercosur

  

  The priority of the incoming Paraguayan government of president-elect Horacio Cartes who takes office on Thursday is to recompose bilateral relations with the region’s countries and from then on begin negotiations for the return to Mercosur, said Eladio Loizaga a veteran diplomat who on Tuesday was confirmed as future Foreign affairs minister.

• Wednesday, August 14th 2013 - 02:58 UTC

  Brazilian Navy incorporates third UK built Amazonas class ocean patrol vessel

  

  The newest ship in the Brazilian navy's fleet has left the UK on a journey of more than 16.100km to Brazil. “Araguari” which sailed from Portsmouth is the third of three Amazonas class ocean patrol vessels delivered to the Brazilian navy by BAE Systems.