Latin America

Wednesday, December 17th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Chile helps Paraguay crack neighbours' “energy siege”

Energy rich Paraguay and Chile reached an agreement for the supply of electricity which will transmitted through Argentine territory and at “a considerable higher value than that paid by Brazil”.
Tuesday, December 16th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Ecuador announces second bond interest payment default

Ecuador announced it is defaulting on a second bond payment, interest on 650 million US dollars in Global 15 bonds due through 2015. The announcement comes three days after President Rafael Correa said the country would not make a similar 30.6 million USD payment on Global 12 bonds.
Monday, December 15th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Nicaragua is a “family dictatorship” claims former minister

The Nicaraguan administration of President Daniel Ortega “is not left-leaning or Sandinista or revolutionary, it's imply a family dictatorship”, said Ernesto Cardenal, a Catholic priest and one of the country's most renowned poets.
Monday, December 15th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Russian flotilla to dock in Cuba, first time since Soviet era

A group of Russian warships is to visit Cuba for the first time since the Soviet era, the Russian navy has said. The visit, scheduled for 19-22 December, will be led by the destroyer Admiral Chabanenko.
Monday, December 15th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Raul Castro willing to discuss US trade embargo with Obama

Cuban President Raul Castro said he is willing to discuss the 50-year-old US trade embargo against Cuba with President-elect Barack Obama. Castro made the announcement on arrival in North eastern Brazil for a summit of Latin American and Caribbean leaders.
Sunday, December 14th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Ex-Chilean president Frei nominated candidate for 2009

Former Chilean President Eduardo Frei was chosen Saturday by the Christian Democrat Party (PDC) as its presidential candidate for the December 2009 elections, for which he will first have to face other hopefuls from the centre-left coalition in the April primaries.
Sunday, December 14th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
“Hero” dog brings to light Chileans' attitude to pets

A recently released video of highway security film footage showing the heroic rescue of one dog by another on a busy Chilean highway is causing a big stir both in Chile and abroad.
Friday, December 12th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Peruvian opinion poll confesses corruption is rampant

An overwhelming majority of Peruvians believe their country is corrupt or very corrupt, according to a national public opinion poll published Friday in the capital Lima press.
Friday, December 12th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Ecuador defaults on bonds; promised restructure

Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa has ordered halting payment on foreign bonds he calls “illegal” and “illegitimate”. If this is the case it would be Ecuador's second default in a decade.
Thursday, December 11th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Chavez defers for 2012 his “Socialist” constitution proposal

Venezuela's leader Hugo Chavez announced Wednesday that he would promote a constitutional reform in 2012 for the establishment of a Socialist state. He made the announcement during the Air Force Day celebration.