Latin America

• Wednesday, February 3rd 2010 - 12:23 UTC

  Chavez former closest loyalists call for his resignation

  

  A group of one-time loyalists and close advisors of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez called on him to resign saying that after eleven years in power he had lost “the legitimacy and capacity to govern”.

• Wednesday, February 3rd 2010 - 12:02 UTC

  Washington praises political steps taken by new Honduran administration

  

  The new Honduras government is “one step” toward the country’s return to the Organization of American States and recovery of international credit lost during the seven month coup, said the US top diplomat to Latin America.

• Wednesday, February 3rd 2010 - 09:46 UTC

  Ecuador hosts Unasur meeting in support of reconstructing Haiti

  

  Six presidents will be participating in the coming Union of South American Nations, Unasur, extraordinary meeting to he hosted by Ecuador next week and which will address mainly how to better coordinate relief efforts for earthquake devastated Haiti.

• Tuesday, February 2nd 2010 - 12:41 UTC

  Outgoing presidents Bachelet and Lula da Silva with record support

  

  Two outgoing South American presidents have reached record popularity according to the latest January public opinion polls. They are Michelle Bachelet from Chile and Brazil’s Lula da Silva, both with plus eighty percentages.

• Tuesday, February 2nd 2010 - 04:20 UTC

  Colombian president Uribe remains opinion polls favourite for May 30 election

  

  Colombian president Alvaro Uribe continues to lead vote intention polls for next May presidential elections if the Constitutional Court finally authorizes a referendum on a second consecutive re-election of the popular leader.

• Monday, February 1st 2010 - 14:02 UTC

  Catholic Church warns Cuba is on the verge of socio-economic collapse

  

  The Roman Catholic Church warned Sunday that Cuba is on the verge of an economic collapse that can only be prevented if President Raul Castro institutes sweeping economic and social reforms.

• Monday, February 1st 2010 - 06:58 UTC

  Brazil moving closer to accepting Honduran president Lobo

  

  Brazil sees a positive attitude and a good indication of “reconciliation” attempts by the recently inaugurated Honduran president Porfirio Lobo. “The new president acted in a politically positive manner when he negotiated a safe conduct for the deposed president, Manuel Zelaya”, said Foreign Affairs minister Celso Amorim.

• Monday, February 1st 2010 - 05:59 UTC

  Latinamerican teenagers love fast food and are increasingly obese

  

  Chilean teenagers are becoming obese due to increasing fast food consumption while those from Mexico, Venezuela and Guatemala are not far behind.

• Monday, February 1st 2010 - 05:49 UTC

  Closer ties Australia/Chile now also include tax treaty

  

  Australia announced last week the first tax treaty with Chile. Nick Sherry, Assistant Treasurer of Australia, announced that Australia and Chile had reached agreement on a new tax treaty. The proposed treaty, the first between the two countries, will reflect the economic, legal and cultural interests of each.

• Sunday, January 31st 2010 - 14:32 UTC

  Haiti arrests US nationals suspected of child smuggling

  

  Haitian police have arrested 10 US nationals on suspicion of trying to illegally take 33 children abroad.