Latin America

• Wednesday, September 2nd 2009 - 13:00 UTC

  Torturers of Pinochet era still on Chilean government payroll

  

  Chilean Defence Minister Fransisco Vidal confirmed Monday that the Military still employs people accused or convicted of human rights abuses under Chile’s military dictatorship (1973-1990). The state employees receive monthly salaries of up to 2,200 US dollars.

• Tuesday, September 1st 2009 - 13:36 UTC

  Chavez takes time to reply to Peruvian President García ironies

  

  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said that his country will continue exporting oil to the United States because it is in interest. In a statement published in the Lima daily El Comercio that “many people don’t know” that Venezuelan state oil giant PDVSA, through its Citgo subsidiary, has seven large refineries and more than 10.000 service stations on US soil.

• Tuesday, September 1st 2009 - 12:28 UTC

  Chile launches trucks’ scrappage plan to boost economy and fight pollution

  

  The Chilean government will subsidize the purchase of more fuel-efficient trucks for citizens through a program set to start later this year. The program, called “Cambia tu Camión,” or “Change your Truck,” will offer a bonus of 4, 8 or 12 million pesos (7.200, 14.500 or 21.700 US dollars respectively), toward the purchase of a new, more fuel efficient car, with the trade-in of a truck over 25 years old.

• Tuesday, September 1st 2009 - 00:25 UTC

  Between 1.600 and 1.700 vessels cross the Magellan Strait annually

  

  An estimated 1.600 to 1.700 vessels cross the strategic Magellan Strait annually according to the Chilean Navy that last week celebrated the 161th anniversary of its patrolling task along the country’s coastline of almost 6.500 kilometres.

• Monday, August 31st 2009 - 12:16 UTC

  Falkland/Malvinas experience repeatedly recalled in Unasur summit

  

  South American leaders “frank and crude” debate last week on the controversial agreement to deploy US forces in seven Colombian bases brought back memories and experiences of the Falkland Islands war between Argentina and Britain in 1982.

• Monday, August 31st 2009 - 12:14 UTC

  Listeriosis strikes Chile again, claims nine victims

  

  Listeriosis, a food-borne bacterial disease, has claimed nine lives and infected 45 in Chile so far in 2009, health authorities confirmed this week. The disease, which stems from the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes, is often borne from contaminated water and foods and usually infects pregnant women, newborns, the elderly, and people with auto-immune diseases.

• Monday, August 31st 2009 - 08:00 UTC

  Third “expedition cruise” vessel for Australis from Punta Arenas

  

  The Chilean cruise company Cruceros Australis which operates from Punta Arenas is having a third vessel built in Valdivia which should be operational for the 2010/2011 season, according to Branco Ivelic, manager of Cruise Operations.

• Monday, August 31st 2009 - 07:31 UTC

  Uribe avoided condemnation in Bariloche but could not escape H1N1 flu

  

  Colombian President Álvaro Uribe has the H1N1 virus, according to official sources. The Presidency's Information and Press Secretary of Colombia, César Mauricio Velásquez, read an official release Sunday saying that Uribe has the virus, while National Health Institute sources from Bogotá confirmed the diagnosis. Social Welfare Minister Diego Palacio said Uribe is responding well to treatment.

• Sunday, August 30th 2009 - 22:28 UTC

  China's Policy Paper on Latin America and the Caribbean

  

  On November 5, 2008, the Chinese government released a policy paper on Latin America and the Caribbean, as it had previously done so for Europe in 2003 and for Africa in 2006.

• Saturday, August 29th 2009 - 10:01 UTC

  Chile has the lowest inflation rate in Latinamerica

  

  International banking authorities reported this week that Chile has the lowest inflation of any Latin American country, with an accumulated rate of -1.2% through July.