Latin America

• Wednesday, February 17th 2010 - 23:47 UTC

  Chilean president-elect criticizes Castro and reaffirms support of Peru, Bolivia

  

  Chile’s President-elect Sebastian Piñera affirmed that his government will strongly defend human rights once taking power on March 11 by giving much more attention to Cuba than did his predecessors from the centre-left Concertacion coalition.

• Wednesday, February 17th 2010 - 22:52 UTC

  Russia’s interests in Latinamerica are “purely commercial”

  

  Russia has increased arms sales to Latin America but Moscow’s interests in the region are “purely commercial” said Russian Foreign Affairs minister Sergei Lavrov following talks with his Mexican counterpart, the last stop of a regional tour that included Cuba, Guatemala and Nicaragua.

• Wednesday, February 17th 2010 - 02:58 UTC

  Power strapped Venezuela rejects Colombian supply offer

  

  President Hugo Chavez's government said it is not interested in buying electricity from neighbouring Colombia despite Venezuela's struggles with severe energy shortages.

• Wednesday, February 17th 2010 - 01:34 UTC

  Rebuilding quake-shocked Haiti could soar to 14 billion USD says IDB

  

  The cost of rebuilding Haiti’s homes, schools, roads and other infrastructure could soar to nearly 14 billion US dollars according to a new study by economists at the Inter-American Development Bank.

• Monday, February 15th 2010 - 20:15 UTC

  Chilean registered marriages almost identical to number of divorces

  

  Marriage numbers have fallen 50% in Chile during the past 20 years, according to data made public last week by the Civil Statistical Registry.

• Monday, February 15th 2010 - 06:33 UTC

  Chilean mint house chops heads for circulating 50-pesos “collection” coins

  

  Heads are rolling at the Chilean mint after a coin went into circulation which mangled the country's name. The 50-peso coins - worth about 6p - were issued in 2008, but no-one noticed they read “Chiie” rather than “Chile” until late last year.

• Saturday, February 13th 2010 - 07:54 UTC

  Brazil and Chile’s president elect support Insulza as OAS chief

  

  Brazil’s Foreign Secretary Celso Amorim said that The Washington Post criticisms of the Organization of American States, OAS, Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza are “totally without foundation” and reiterated Brazil’s support for his re-election next month.

• Saturday, February 13th 2010 - 07:30 UTC

  Chevron and Repsol will lead development of Orinoco tar sands

  

  Chevron and Repsol YPF SA will lead development of two 15 billion US dollars projects to pump and refine Venezuelan crude after winning the country’s first oil auction since President Hugo Chavez took office 11 years ago.

• Saturday, February 13th 2010 - 07:12 UTC

  China/Peru free trade agreement becomes effective March first

  

  The free trade agreement between Peru and China will become effective next March first, following the green light from Beijing’s all powerful Council of State, said the Peruvian Foreign Trade and Tourism ministry in an official release.

• Thursday, February 11th 2010 - 18:11 UTC

  Growing interest of Indian companies in investing in Latinamerica

  

  More Indian companies are looking to do business in Latinamerica as they seek exposure to growing markets and a more secure investment destination, according to The Wall Street Journal.