Latin America

• Wednesday, February 15th 2012 - 00:37 UTC

  Uruguay signs first hydrocarbons on-shore exploration contract with US company

  

  Uruguay’s hydrocarbons refining company Ancap signed on Tuesday an agreement with US company Schuepbach Energy to begin exploration for oil and gas in the north and centre of the country.

• Tuesday, February 14th 2012 - 21:10 UTC

  Cuba must be member of OAS to attend the Americas Summit, says Washington

  

  The US State Department said on Monday that if Cuba wants to participate in the coming Summit of the Americas to be hosted by Colombia, it must first fully integrate to the Organization of American States and guarantee the basic liberties of its citizens.

• Monday, February 13th 2012 - 21:05 UTC

  Chilean community in Falklands plan to write a letter to President Piñera

  

  After a successful turnout and demonstration last week, the Chilean community in the Falkland Islands will be deciding this week on addressing letters to President Sebastian Piñera and President of the Senate, Guillermo Guiralde to tell them that in the Islands there is also a piece of Chile.

• Monday, February 13th 2012 - 19:53 UTC

  EU/Mercosur hope to resume talks following French presidential election

  

  European and Latin American personalities underlined the peril of falling prey to short term results and forget the long term relation between the two regions which is expected to be re-launched following the French presidential election next April.

• Monday, February 13th 2012 - 07:17 UTC

  Venezuela opposition unites and vote candidate to face Chavez next October

  

  Venezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles easily won a primary election on Sunday to become the unity candidate against President Hugo Chavez, vowing to end 13 years of socialist rule that he said has left the country in deep crisis.

• Monday, February 13th 2012 - 05:39 UTC

  Chile denies ‘media rumours’ of Argentine sea and air blockade to the Falklands

  

  Chilean Foreign Affairs minister Alfredo Moreno denied rumours that Argentina had requested Chile to join a blockade of the Falklands Islands and also reassured that the government of President Cristina Fernandez has not questioned the commercial air link between Santiago and the Islands.

• Friday, February 10th 2012 - 02:03 UTC

  Debate on Cuba’s attendance to the coming Americas summit in Colombia

  

  The Cuban government has expressed its interest in attending the coming Summit of the Americas scheduled for next April in Cartagena, revealed Colombian Foreign Affairs minister Maria Angela Holguin following a visit to Havana.

• Friday, February 10th 2012 - 01:08 UTC

  Antigua and Barbuda deny supporting bar on Falklands flagged vessels

  

  The government of Antigua and Barbuda by way of a press statement issued Wednesday, disassociated the Caribbean nation from statements made in the wake of the recent Eleventh ALBA summit, which were carried in the local, regional and international press, about a ban on Falkland Islands-flagged ships.

• Thursday, February 9th 2012 - 23:55 UTC

  Chilean community in Falklands march in support of the air link with Santiago

  

  One hundred members of the Chilean population living in the Falkland Islands were joined by 50 to 60 Islanders in a show of unity against the possibility that the weekly Lan Chile flight between Santiago and the Falklands might be discontinued at the request of Argentine President Cristina Fernandez.

• Thursday, February 9th 2012 - 23:17 UTC

  Mujica says Mercosur is “a chewing gum”; promises trade deals with third countries

  

  Mercosur from a real point of view exits, but institutionally it’s a “chewing gum” claimed Uruguayan president Jose Mujica who anticipated he would demand from the block’s partners that Uruguay be allowed to sign bilateral trade agreements with third parties.