Latin America

• Saturday, May 4th 2013 - 10:03 UTC

  Uruguay admits trade and economic relations with Argentina ‘couldn’t be worse’

  

  Vice-president Danilo Astori admitted on Friday that economic-trade relations with Argentina continue to deteriorate and seriously question Mercosur and Uruguay must therefore speed the search for other alternatives.

• Friday, May 3rd 2013 - 07:01 UTC

  UN Rapporteur insists in criticizing Argentine ‘politicization’ of the Judiciary

  

  United Nations expert on magistrates and solicitors independence again expressed concern on Thursday about the laws contained in the Argentine government-promoted judicial reform which might lead to the “politicization” of the judiciary branch.

• Friday, May 3rd 2013 - 06:11 UTC

  Obama supports new Mexican drugs security policy to cut down on killings and violence

  

  President Barack Obama gave his blessing to a new security arrangement with Mexican leader Enrique Peña Nieto, in which Mexico will make reducing violence a priority over hunting drug cartel kingpins in the war against organized crime. The two presidents said they also want to step up trade and business ties that have been overshadowed by the battle against drug trafficking.

• Friday, May 3rd 2013 - 06:09 UTC

  Venezuelan opposition formally challenges Maduro’s victory in April’s snap election

  

  The Venezuelan opposition on Thursday challenged the results of last month's presidential poll won by the late Hugo Chavez's successor, further muddying an already messy transition to life without the divisive leader. The formal challenge was done with the Supreme Court, despite allegations the tribunal is loaded with pro-Chavez judges and certain to reject the challenge.

• Friday, May 3rd 2013 - 02:41 UTC

  Freedom of the press in the America exposed to violence and intimidation from governments

  

  Violence, intimidation and polarization still obstruct reporting in Americas says the 2013 Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index which was released in anticipation of the World Press Freedom Day, May 3 (*). The report states that the ranking of most countries is no longer attributable to dramatic political developments and this year’s index is a better reflection of the attitudes and intentions of governments towards media freedom in the medium or long term.

• Thursday, May 2nd 2013 - 08:18 UTC

  Obama begins fourth visit to strategic Mexico with a full agenda of critical issues

  

  President Barack Obama leaves on Thursday for Mexico and Costa Rica, on a strategic mission to deepen trade ties and jobs’ creation but also hoping to discuss US immigration reform, security threats and drug wars.

• Thursday, May 2nd 2013 - 08:03 UTC

  Where is Uruguay’s economy headed?

  

  Fitch Ratings in March joined two other major ratings agencies in giving Uruguay its coveted investment grade, a move that lowers the nation’s borrowing costs and opens up opportunities for new investors.

• Thursday, May 2nd 2013 - 07:45 UTC

  Brazil leads meeting of Amazon basin Cooperation Treaty in Ecuador

  

  Brazilian Foreign minister Antonio Patriota arrives Thursday in Ecuador for bilateral talks on trade, investment and immigration, and to attend a day later the Amazon group summit of ministers, reports Itamaraty palace.

• Thursday, May 2nd 2013 - 07:29 UTC

  Brazil’s primary surplus well below target because of ‘government efforts to prop the economy’

  

  Brazil posted a budget primary surplus of 3.5 billion Reais (1.75bn dollars) in March, recovering after a deficit in February, but still the worst performance in the first quarter of the last four years, according to central bank data released this week.

• Thursday, May 2nd 2013 - 07:12 UTC

  Following the beatings of opposition members, OAS calls for dialogue in Venezuelan congress

  

  The Organization of American States (OAS) expressed concern over the acts of violence that took place on Tuesday in the National Assembly of Venezuela and noted that “this reflects, in a dramatic way, the absence of a political dialogue that could reassure the public and the branches of government, in order to resolve the outstanding issues in this country in a climate of peace between all Venezuelans”.