Latin America

• Sunday, December 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Successful testing of natural gas strike in Chilean Patagonia

  

  Latinamerican oil and gas exploration and production company GeoPark Holdings Limited reported the successful testing of a natural gas well in Magallanes region, extreme south of Chile, with an initial output of 1.300 barrels of oil per day equivalent, boepd.

• Sunday, December 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Viña del Mar expects an “invasion” of 150.000 Argentines

  

  An estimated 150.000 Argentine tourists are expected to cross the Andes to enjoy the beaches of Viña del Mar in the coming months of January and February, which represents a 25% increase over last year's season according to Chile's Tourism Office, Sernatur.

• Sunday, December 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Chilean vessel manages to out run Somali pirates

  

  A Chilean cargo vessel managed to outrun an attack with rifles from pirates in the north east of Africa, according to Arturo Claro Fernandez, vice-president of Compañía Sud Americana de Vapores, CSAV, one of Chile's main maritime transport companies.

• Saturday, December 6th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  New Peruvian Army chief helps overcome rift with Chile

  

  Peruvian Armed Forces “never again” should be involved in politics and must only be committed to the protection of democracy said the incoming Army Chief General Otto Guibovich on Friday helping to cool a spat with neighbouring Chile.

• Wednesday, December 3rd 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  British built sub, first Chilean nautical museum

  

  Valdivia in the Chilean Los Rios region will become the final resting place for the Chilean British-built submarine “O'Brien” which is to be converted into a nautical museum, reports the local press.

• Wednesday, December 3rd 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Ten Latam countries concentrate 9.6% of world cellular lines

  

  Ten Latinamerican countries concentrate 388 million cellular phone lines, which is equivalent to 9.6% of the world's total 4.02 billion on service according to a release from multinational consultants Everis.

• Wednesday, December 3rd 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentina/Chile commemorate 1978 events in P. Arenas

  

  Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner travels on Thursday to Punta Arenas, extreme south of Chile, for the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the crucial papal intervention which defused a full fledged war between the neighbouring countries.

• Wednesday, December 3rd 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Miami Cubans oppose continuing embargo on Castro regime

  

  A new US public opinion poll shows long-time support for the US embargo against Cuba is falling among the Cuban-American community in Miami, which reflects a shift of opinion away from harsh policies towards the Fidel and Raul Castro regime.

• Tuesday, December 2nd 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Chile-Peruvian spat: hopefully on Friday it's back to normal

  

  Tensions between Chile and Peru remained high Monday after last week's revelation that Peru's top army general said at a party that Chileans in Peru would be sent back in coffins or body bags.

• Tuesday, December 2nd 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  APEC forum helps boost Peruvian president standing

  

  Peruvian president Alan García's approval was up 8.1 points in November according to the latest release from the public opinion pollster CPI.