Latin America

Friday, May 17th 2013 - 06:46 UTC
Argentine whitewash bill turning into ugly electoral debate

Argentina’s whitewashing bill or more modestly ‘tax amnesty’ has joined the political debate of the coming October mid-term elections. The tax revenue bureau or AFIP confirmed taxpayers’ “legitimate externalization right” “will not be affected” even in the “hypothetical case that the opposition manages to rally a majority parliamentary stance” after October’s legislative elections.
Friday, May 17th 2013 - 06:33 UTC
Bolivian congress confirms President Morales can run for re-re-election

Bolivia’s Lower House passed a bill this week which would allow President Evo Morales to run for a third mandate in next years’ elections. The bill passed in an 84 to 33 vote, following a decision by the country’s Constitutional Court — whose judges were appointed by Morales — saying the re-re-election bill does not violate Bolivia’s Constitution.
Friday, May 17th 2013 - 06:26 UTC
Uruguay’s José Mujica lauds booming Brazil ties

By Jude Webber in Montevideo - The Financial Times has published a piece on Uruguayan president Jose Mujica and his view on the future and his government’s policy towards two powerful neighbors, Argentina and Brazil.
Friday, May 17th 2013 - 06:05 UTC
Criticized Peruvian foreign minister steps down and is replaced by a female

Peru's Foreign minister has resigned, the government said on Wednesday, days after he was criticized for contributing to a diplomatic spat with Venezuela. The office of President Ollanta Humala said in a statement that Rafael Roncagliolo resigned ”strictly because of health reasons”.
Thursday, May 16th 2013 - 22:18 UTC
OAS praises Ecuador ‘civic spirit’ and suggests regulating use of public resources for electoral purposes

The Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) received this week the oral report of the Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) that accompanied the process of general elections in Ecuador on February 17, which was presented by the Chief of Mission Rafael Alburquerque, who stressed the “great civic spirit” of Ecuadorians.
Thursday, May 16th 2013 - 19:23 UTC
Females take the top three seats in the new Ecuadorean National Assembly

The newly elected Ecuadorean National Assembly sat for the first time this week and next week will take the oath of office to President Rafael Correa, who was re-elected by a landslide last February. The legislative with 137 members has a majority of members from Correa’s party Alliance Country Movement, and was elected for a four-year mandate.
Thursday, May 16th 2013 - 06:50 UTC
In Bolivia and suffering from altitude sickness, try Coca beer

A Bolivian brewer has come up with an innovative solution for quenching thirst and coping with altitude sickness: coca beer, based on the same leaf used to make cocaine.
Wednesday, May 15th 2013 - 21:59 UTC
Paraguay on Independence Day blasts Argentina and Brazil over “power resource exploitation”

President Federico Franco said Paraguay has long cancelled its debts for the construction of two huge shared hydroelectric dams with its powerful neighbours and demanded Argentina pay for the surplus energy it receives and compensation for flooding Paraguayan territory.
Wednesday, May 15th 2013 - 07:46 UTC
Cristina Fernandez pledges she will not propose any constitutional reform

Argentine President Cristina Fernández defended her controversial judiciary reform and announced that deep reforms require “amendments to the Constitution”. However, she emphasized she would not push any initiative in that sense.
Wednesday, May 15th 2013 - 07:38 UTC
Allegations of a network of corruption money involves former president Kirchner

Argentine and Uruguayan magistrates and prosecutors are investigating an alleged network of corruption money, and probably money laundering involving former president Nestor Kirchner and close political and business cronies some of which continue in key positions or proximity to current head of state Cristina Fernandez.