Latin America

• Saturday, August 29th 2009 - 09:38 UTC

  HMS Gloucester begins Monday a two-week visit to Chile

  

  HMS Gloucester is expected next Monday in the port of Valparaiso where she will remain until September 14 as part of a program to reaffirm the close professional links with the Chilean Navy. It will also be an opportunity for the crew to rest and recover after spending months in South Atlantic patrolling.

• Saturday, August 29th 2009 - 08:35 UTC

  Unasur summit finally agrees on a diluted catch-all statement

  

  The much announced Union of South American Nations Friday presidential summit in Argentina finally issued a statement warning “foreign military forces” against threatening the sovereignty and integrity of any South American country and “in consequence regional peace and stability”.

• Friday, August 28th 2009 - 19:59 UTC

  Brazilian general questions Lula da Silva’ stance on the Amazon

  

  The Brazilian government magnified the importance of the deployment of US troops in Colombian military bases, according to Brazilian retired Army general Luiz Eduardo Rocha Paiva who is also a lecturer in strategic affairs.

• Friday, August 28th 2009 - 19:38 UTC

  Colombia and Venezuela raise the stakes for the Unasur summit

  

  Colombia reiterated its willingness to an open discussion on the deployment of US forces in Colombian bases but also wants Venezuela to adopt a similar attitude regarding its arms, armament and alliance policies.

• Thursday, August 27th 2009 - 15:43 UTC

  Latam foreign trade forecasted to plunge a record 13% this year

  

  Latin American and Caribbean countries total volume of trade is expected to fall 13% in 2009 from the previous year due to the impact of the global economic crisis, according to a report from the United Nations' economic commission for the region, Cepal.

• Thursday, August 27th 2009 - 15:39 UTC

  Paraguay interested in discussing “arms race” at the Unasur summit

  

  Conflict hypothesis and arms race in the region must also be included in the context of the controversy over US forces in Colombian bases during the coming Unasur (Union of South American Nations) summit in Argentina, according to the Paraguayan government official position.

• Thursday, August 27th 2009 - 15:36 UTC

  Obama envoy: “US not interested in having bases in Colombia”

  

  A top official from President Obama’s administration touring South America said on Wednesday that “the US is not interested in military bases in Colombia” and suggested Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez “is not acting responsibly” when he talks of “winds of war” in the region because of a security agreement between United States and Colombia

• Thursday, August 27th 2009 - 15:33 UTC

  Colombia calls for open, live TV debate on all regional military issues

  

  Colombia wants the coming Unasur (Union of South American nations) summit in Argentina to be open to all media and televised live said Colombian Foreign Affairs minister Jaime Bermúdez.

• Thursday, August 27th 2009 - 15:29 UTC

  Colombia files complaint against Venezuela with OAS

  

  Colombia fled a formal complaint against Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez with the Organization of American States, accusing the populist leader of interfering in domestic affairs

• Thursday, August 27th 2009 - 15:25 UTC

  Spanish company wins contract for Panama Canal third set of locks

  

  Work began Wednesday on a new set of locks to allow giant cargo vessels to pass through the inter-oceanic Panama Canal, according to the group leading the project.