Latin America

• Tuesday, June 26th 2012 - 01:02 UTC

  Lonesome George, last giant tortoise of its subspecies dies in Galapagos

  

  Staff at the Galapagos National Park in Ecuador announced Lonesome George, a giant tortoise believed to be the last of its subspecies, has died. Scientists estimate he was about 100 years old.

• Tuesday, June 26th 2012 - 00:40 UTC

  Paraguayan Electoral tribunal confirms Franco president and the electoral calendar

  

  The Paraguayan Supreme Electoral tribunal said on Monday that President Federico Franco “must complete” the current mandate that concludes August 2013 and discarded any possibility of advancing the national elections scheduled for April the same year.

• Monday, June 25th 2012 - 19:37 UTC

  Canada prepared to accept the new political situation in Paraguay

  

  Canada seems prepared to accept the new political situation in Paraguay following the removal of President Fernando Lugo, and pointed out in an official release that the ousted leader “accepted the decision from the Paraguayan Senate”.

• Monday, June 25th 2012 - 18:56 UTC

  Urgent summit in Peru to advance transfer of Unasur presidency from Paraguay

  

  An urgent summit of the Union of South American Nations, Unasur, will address the crisis in Paraguay following the removal of President Fernando Lugo, this coming Wednesday in Peru, announced Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa, although there has been no official confirmation from Lima.

• Monday, June 25th 2012 - 07:12 UTC

  Paraguay suspended from Mercosur summit which begins Monday

  

  Mercosur countries decided on Sunday “to suspend with immediate effect” the participation of Paraguay in the coming Mercosur summit and preparatory meetings set to begin Monday until next Friday in Mendoza because of the removal of President Fernando Lugo.

• Monday, June 25th 2012 - 06:47 UTC

  Lugo will attend Mercosur summit; Unasur chair transfer to be advanced

  

  Paraguayan removed president Fernando Lugo denied legitimacy to the administration of his successor Federico Franco and announced he will be travelling next week to Mendoza for the Mercosur meeting of presidents scheduled for next June 29.

• Monday, June 25th 2012 - 06:30 UTC

  Striking Bolivian rank-and-file police disregard officers and reject pay agreement

  

  Striking Bolivian police officers have rejected an accord with the government four days into a nationwide strike to demand higher wages. The protesting rank-and-file police burned copies of the agreement during marches across Bolivia Sunday and said they would elect new representatives.

• Monday, June 25th 2012 - 06:25 UTC

  Uruguay recommends new presidential elections for the Paraguayan crisis

  

  Uruguay called for strict respect of the Mercosur and Unasur democratic clauses and said the best way out of the current political crisis in Paraguay was to hold presidential elections as soon as possible.

• Monday, June 25th 2012 - 06:19 UTC

  Brazil says it is “impossible” to force the Paraguayan congress to review the removal of Lugo

  

  Brazil will wait for the Paraguayan situation caused by the removal of Fernando Lugo “to decant” before assessing the most appropriate measures to address the “rupture of democratic order” in the country, according to Planalto sources.

• Sunday, June 24th 2012 - 15:02 UTC

  Lan and Tam complete merger to become world’s second largest airline by market value

  

  Chile's LAN Airlines completed a takeover of Brazilian rival TAM on Friday, creating the world's second-largest airline by market value in a deal that executives expect to yield up to 700 million dollars in costs savings within four years.