Latin America

• Thursday, May 2nd 2013 - 07:01 UTC

  Morales expels USAID to protest Kerry’ reference of Latam as the ‘US backyard’

  

  President Evo Morales expelled a US development agency from Bolivia, marking the latest confrontation between Washington and a bloc of populist governments in Latin America.

• Thursday, May 2nd 2013 - 06:25 UTC

  Argentina natural gas imports in March soar 74% compared to a year ago

  

  Argentina's natural gas imports rose 74% to 28.4 million cubic meters/d in March, compared with 16.3 million cu m/d in the year-earlier period, the country’s Energy Secretariat said Monday. Imports were up 16% compared with 24.5 million cu m/d in February, according to a monthly data report.

• Thursday, May 2nd 2013 - 06:18 UTC

  Petrobras continues divestment program: sells blocks in US Gulf of Mexico

  

  Brazil’s Petrobras is selling its 20% stake in the Gila prospect in the US Gulf of Mexico as part of its ongoing divestment program. The state-owned company said it had signed a sale and purchase agreement for the sale of its equity in exploration blocks KC 49, 50, 92, 93, 94 and 138, which make up the BP-operated asset.

• Wednesday, May 1st 2013 - 06:14 UTC

  Argentina openly clashes with UN over the judicial reform; calls Rapporteur ‘ignorant’

  

  Argentina expressed on Tuesday its “discomfort” over the “unheard of” attitude displayed by the UN Special Rapporteur, Gabriela Knaul, who urged the Cristina Fernández administration to reconsider the Council of Magistrates reform and injunction regulation bills.

• Wednesday, May 1st 2013 - 06:04 UTC

  Major brawl in Venezuelan congress over the disputed presidential election

  

  Political tensions over Venezuela’s disputed presidential election boiled over Tuesday in the National Assembly as government and opposition lawmakers said they physically clashed.

• Wednesday, May 1st 2013 - 06:00 UTC

  Chilean conservatives will dispute primary and promise compact unity the following day

  

  The Chilean ruling conservative coalition finally patched up differences and decided to hold primaries for the November presidential vote next June 30. UDI, Independent Democratic Union and Chile’s largest party will support former Economy minister Pablo Longueira and RN, National Renovation, former Defence minister Andrés Allamand.

• Wednesday, May 1st 2013 - 05:54 UTC

  US Congress to discuss devastating report on Cristina Fernandez administration

  

  “Under the corrupt populist government of President Cristina Fernandez Argentina is back on the road to ruin” is the kick off for an extremely critical report to be discussed by the US Congress and which was drafted by Douglas Farah, senior research fellow at the International Assessment and Strategy Centre under the heading of “Back to the future”.

• Wednesday, May 1st 2013 - 05:48 UTC

  In a continent of tweeting chiefs, should presidents message immediate reactions?

  

  When a million angry Argentines flooded the streets earlier this month to protest her government, President Cristina Fernandez decided to post a message on Twitter, but then could not stop and kept twitting.

• Wednesday, May 1st 2013 - 02:18 UTC

  Unpleasant surprises for the Uruguayan economy predicts a US financial group

  

  A serious deterioration is taking place under the surface of the Uruguayan economy and when the current inflow of foreign capital reverts, the country is going to suffer unpleasant shocks with a strong rise in the price of the US dollar and an increase in inflation, according to a report from the US based BCP Securities.

• Wednesday, May 1st 2013 - 00:59 UTC

  Morales can seek second re-election in 2014, says Bolivian constitutional court

  

  Populist Bolivian President Evo Morales will be allowed to seek re-election again next year, according to a Constitutional Court ruling that sparked opposition protests. Morales was elected in late 2005 and re-elected in 2009 after leading a push for a new constitution that allows only one re-election for a sitting president.