Latin America

• Monday, June 1st 2009 - 09:02 UTC

  OAS calls for a political solution to Colombian internal conflict

  

  The Organization of American States Secretary General said the Colombian internal conflict should move towards a negotiated political solution, and offered to contribute to the peace efforts.

• Monday, June 1st 2009 - 08:39 UTC

  New El Salvador government expected to restore relations with Cuba

  

  El Salvador President-elect Mauricio Funes plans to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba after taking office on Monday, a lawmaker allied tipped to become the Foreign Affairs minister of the new administration.

• Monday, June 1st 2009 - 08:17 UTC

  Blackouts in Cuba if companies don’t comply with restrictions

  

  The Cuban government has threatened with cutting power to companies and entities that do not comply with the “exceptional measures” which become effective Monday to save fuel and help the rapidly deteriorating island’s economy, aggravated by the current global financial crisis.

• Monday, June 1st 2009 - 07:51 UTC

  Andean indigenous propose international tribunal for “environmental crimes”

  

  Latinamerican indigenous peoples are proposing the creation o fan international court to address actions which harm the environment, according to the regional representatives meeting in the Peruvian highlands city of Puno

• Monday, June 1st 2009 - 07:50 UTC

  Cuba/US step closer agree to resume migration talks

  

  Cuba has agreed to resume talks with the United States over migration and mail service between the two countries, two senior US State Department officials said on Sunday.

• Saturday, May 30th 2009 - 16:02 UTC

  Chilean economic crisis freezes construction of 100 buildings

  

  New apartment building construction in Santiago de Chile is down by 14.6% since October 2008, according to the latest figures from real estate agency Collect GFK.
  Last fall there were 560 housing projects underway, but as of April that number is down to 461, including 166 projects on hold.

• Saturday, May 30th 2009 - 15:16 UTC

  OAS can’t agree on Cuba, while Havana ridicules the organization

  

  The task force created by the Organization of American States, OAS, in an attempt to bridge different members’ proposals to consider the readmission of Cuba seems to have stalled with the main actors clearly underlining their stance.

• Saturday, May 30th 2009 - 15:13 UTC

  Chavez avoids debate with Vargas Llosa; will only act as moderator

  

  Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa refused to go to debate on Hugo Chávez' TV program “Hello President” (“Aló Presidente”) because the outspoken Venezuelan President said he was only going to be the “moderator”.

• Friday, May 29th 2009 - 03:49 UTC

  Easter Island cruise pier could cost between 20 and 70 million USD

  

  Chile's Ministry of Public Works (MOP) recently announced its decision to fund construction of a new docking pier for Easter Island, near the in Rapa Nui part of the island.

• Thursday, May 28th 2009 - 12:23 UTC

  Vargas Llosa warned against making political comments in Venezuela

  

  Peruvian author Mario Vargas Llosa was detained Wednesday for more than one hour at the Maiquetía international airport by immigration officials upon his arrival in Venezuela to take part in a Liberal forum of intellectuals hosted by a private organization opposed to the government of President Hugo Chávez.