Latin America

• Thursday, December 31st 2009 - 04:39 UTC

  IDB record loan approvals but needs capital increase by 2011

  

  The Inter-American Development Bank set record levels of loan approvals and disbursements in 2009, playing a counter-cyclical role by providing financing to Latin American and Caribbean countries in the face of the global economic crisis.

• Wednesday, December 30th 2009 - 15:17 UTC

  Santiago Airport With Outstanding “On Time” Arrival Stats

  

  A recent report by the Chilean Airline Association (Achila) found a 92.5% percent “on time” departure rated for flights from the Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport

• Sunday, December 27th 2009 - 06:40 UTC

  Countdown for 2010 Argentina-Chile Dakar rally which takes off Jan first

  

  The countdown for the 2010 Argentina-Chile Dakar rally has begun with the arrival in Buenos Aires of all the participants and the over 400 vehicles registered for the grueling competition that will extend until January 17 in some of the most challenging terrains in Argentina and neighboring Chile, including climbing the mighty Andes cordillera .

• Sunday, December 27th 2009 - 06:23 UTC

  Car sales in Chile indicate the country is on road to recovery

  

  A November report shows a 27.3% spike in new car sales in Chile, making it the largest sales increase the country has seen in two years. The last similar increase of 29.9% was before the recent financial crisis, in January 2008.

• Sunday, December 27th 2009 - 05:53 UTC

  Central Chile has lost 38% of forests between 1975 and 2008

  

  A study of satellite images released this week confirmed a 38% decrease in Chile’s Central Valley forest cover between 1975 and 2008. Forests that used to grow between the coast and the central valley have been replaced either by urban growth or agricultural activity. In some cases the forests have become arid lands.

• Saturday, December 26th 2009 - 13:36 UTC

  Peru begins to discuss political reform to make Congress more accountable

  

  Peruvian president Alan García said he had no intention of perpetuating in office but openly supported the proposal to have the one house Congress renewed by halves, “so people in mid term can decide if lawmakers are making a good job or not, as happens in most developed presidential countries”.

• Saturday, December 26th 2009 - 13:30 UTC

  Ecuador begins legal actions against Air Comet; thousands still stranded

  

  The Ecuadorian government filed an appeal against Spain's Air Comet for alleged fraud and requested board directors be put under preventive custody, announced Migration Ministry Alexis Rivas during a press conference in Quito.

• Saturday, December 26th 2009 - 13:23 UTC

  FARC linked news agency justifies kidnapping and killing of Colombian governor

  

  A news agency close to FARC Colombian rebels justified the recent killing of provincial governor Luis Francisco Cuellar although it did not fully attribute responsibility of the abduction and murder to the Revolutionary Colombian Armed Forces.

• Saturday, December 26th 2009 - 12:44 UTC

  Hectic Chile: newborns given single names, forget the saint’s day

  

  Breaking from Chile’s tradition of giving babies a compound name - i.e. Juan Pablo, Maria Isabel - more and more parents are opting for single names.

• Thursday, December 24th 2009 - 09:57 UTC

  Venezuela imposes power cuts and announces network of “Socialist” shops

  

  Venezuela has imposed sweeping power cuts on industry and businesses in order to save its limited energy resources and avoid mass blackouts. The government said the cuts were because of falling water levels at the Guri Hydroelectric dam, which supplies much of the country's power.