Latin America

Monday, January 14th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Freed Colombian hostages condemn kidnaps as “torture”

The two Colombian hostages liberated by the cocaine funded FARC, Clara Rojas and Consuelo Gonzalez de Perdomo described the guerrilla methods as “brutal” and condemned kidnapping as a crime against humanity.
Monday, January 14th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Magallanes oil/gas exploration contracts ready for next March

Chile's Ministry of Mines expects to sign next March oil operating contracts with the corporations that have won licences to explore and exploit hydrocarbons in the extreme south of the country reports La Prensa Austral from Punta Arenas.
Monday, January 14th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Released Colombian hostage meets baby son after three years

Released Colombian hostage Clara Rojas had an emotional reunion Sunday in Bogota with her son Emmanuel, three years after he was taken from her while she was in captivity in Colombia's jungle, according to government sources.
Monday, January 14th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Peru en route to become regional natural gas power

Spain's Repsol announced the discovery of a new gas deposit at block 57 in Peru's Cuzco department that holds 56.6 billion cubic meters. The discovery was made at exploratory well Kinteroni X1 where initial production tests have reached 1Mm3/d of gas and 198m3 of associated liquid hydrocarbons.
Monday, January 14th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Guatemalan president promises democracy with “Mayan face”

Guatemala's Alvaro Colom was sworn in as president Monday, vowing to fight violent crime and empower the impoverished indigenous population in a social democracy with a “Mayan face”. With a population of 13 million, 45% ethnic Mayan, more than six million Guatemalans live below the poverty line of one US dollar per day.
Sunday, January 13th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Ecuador's Tungurahua Volcano Spews Rocks, Ash

Ecuador's Tungurahua volcano on Saturday hurled fiery rocks and sent a column of ash and steam 1 1/2 miles above its crater. Experts have warned that Tungurahua is poised for a major eruption within a matter of days or weeks.
Sunday, January 13th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Western Antarctica ice sheet shrinking at accelerated pace

Western Antarctica and the Antarctic Peninsula have lost billons of tons of the continent's ice mass which means the Antarctic ice sheet is shrinking and at a rate that has increased dramatically between 1996 and 2006 according to a report published in the latest edition of Nature Geoscience.
Sunday, January 13th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Chile becoming UK's fastest growing wine supplier

Chile became in 2007 Britain's sixth supplier of wines and ahead of Spain for the first time according to the market analysis agency AC Nielsen.
Sunday, January 13th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Soaring commodities pulverized inflation targets in Latam

Peru, Panama, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico and Uruguay are the Latinamerican countries expected to have the best economic performance in the region during 2008, according to the latest edition of World Economic Prospects from the World Bank.
Saturday, January 12th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Chile backs proposal for Dakar Rally in South America

The Chilean government will back a proposal to bring the Dakar Rally to South America after terrorist threats forced the cancellation of the off-road endurance race traditionally staged across the Sahara desert.