Latin America

• Friday, April 17th 2009 - 11:14 UTC

  De facto exit for embargo: Castro and Obama agree to discuss “any issue”

  

  Cuban President Raul Castro said from Venezuela that his government is willing to discuss any issue with Washington, as along as it's a conversation between equals and Washington respects “the Cuban people's right to self-determination”.

• Friday, April 17th 2009 - 11:00 UTC

  Obama to Latinamerica: “we must choose the future over the past”

  

  “Choosing a Better Future in the Americas” was the title on an opinion editorial from United States President Barack Obama published Thursday in the main dailies of Latinamerica on the eve of his arrival to the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad Tobago, with a one day previous visit to Mexico.

• Friday, April 17th 2009 - 07:34 UTC

  Unasur charter triggers controversy in Uruguayan Congress

  

  The Uruguayan Senate, with the votes from the ruling coalition, approved Wednesday the founding charter of the Union of South American Nations, UNASUR, while the opposition rejected in block the initiative describing it as an “ideological integration”.

• Friday, April 17th 2009 - 05:33 UTC

  Chavez rejects Americas’ summit declaration which ignores Cuba

  

  President Hugo Chavez said on Thursday Venezuela ''will veto'' the declaration which is being drafted and due to be issued by this weekend's Summit of the Americas at Trinidad Tobago.

• Friday, April 17th 2009 - 05:30 UTC

  Chile rocked by labour protests demanding job protection

  

  Chilean police used tear gas and water cannons to break up a labor demonstration in downtown Santiago, part of a nationwide strike of workers demanding job protection amid a wave of layoffs as the global crisis reaches the country.

• Thursday, April 16th 2009 - 12:01 UTC

  Colombia captures “Don Mario, most wanted drug lord

  

  Colombia announced Wednesday the capture of the man listed as the country's most wanted drug lord, Daniel Rendon. The government had offered a reward of up to 2 million US dollars for the capture of Rendon, an alleged paramilitary drug trafficker also known as “Don Mario.”

• Thursday, April 16th 2009 - 11:54 UTC

  Chavez names “chief of government” and takes control of Caracas

  

  Venezuelan legislators loyal to President Hugo Chavez approved this week a new law that further erodes the authority of Caracas' opposition mayor by subordinating him to a government-appointed official.

• Thursday, April 16th 2009 - 09:53 UTC

  Lula da Silva has the highest approval rating; Cristina K the lowest

  

  Brazil’s President Lula da Silva and Colombia’s Alvaro Uribe with over 70% approval have the best leaders’ performances in Latinamerica while in the other extreme figure Argentina’s Cristina Kirchner and Honduras Manuel Zelaya, below 30%, according to the prestigious Mexican pollster Consulta Mitofsky.

• Thursday, April 16th 2009 - 07:15 UTC

  World Bank plans to loan 14 billion USD to Latinamerica

  

  The World Bank expects to loan some 14 billion US dollars to Latinamerica this fiscal year, or almost three times what it lent in 2008, the bank's Vice-President for Latinamerica and the Caribbean, Pamela Cox told a conference call with reporters.

• Thursday, April 16th 2009 - 06:54 UTC

  Chavez hosts alternative pre-summit in Venezuela

  

  The Venezuelan city of Cumana is hosting the summit of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Peoples of our Americas (ALBA), one of the newest regional cooperation initiatives created by Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez. The meeting takes place hours before the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad Tobago.