Latin America

• Saturday, June 28th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Member countries integrate 10 billion USD to the S. Bank

  

  The South American country founders of the South (Development) Bank decided to integrate ten billion US dollar in capital to the budding institution out of an authorized total of 20 billion.

• Saturday, June 28th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Spanish group planning to build several hotels in Chile

  

  Spanish hotel giant Sol Melía plans to open three hotels in Chile. The company is also bidding for the two hotels that will be a part of Santiago's future Constanera Center, an ongoing development and construction project featuring four skyscrapers, built in one of Santiago's business districts, Providencia.

• Saturday, June 28th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Colombia, Ecuador drop plans to restore diplomatic ties

  

  Relations between Colombia and Ecuador grew chillier Tuesday, as Colombia postponed restoring diplomatic ties at the level of trade-attache because of “aggressive” remarks by Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa.

• Saturday, June 28th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Lula, Chavez initial 21 energy and trade agreements

  The presidents of Brazil and Venezuela, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Hugo Chávez, respectively, met June 27 in Caracas to address economic issues aimed at reinforcing bilateral cooperation.

• Friday, June 27th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina, Chile lead the region in illicit drugs consumption

  

  Argentina, Uruguay and Chile have the highest index of illicit drugs consumption in South America according to the latest release from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

• Thursday, June 26th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Bolivian bitter political dispute on collision course

  Bolivian president Evo Morales accused opposition governors on Wednesday of conspiring against his government and insisted he would not yield to conservative pressures to impede him from his plans for the “re-foundation” of the country, one of the poorest of the continent.

• Wednesday, June 25th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile prepared to cut Armed Forces copper earnings share

  José Pablo Arellano, CEO of Chile's state-owned CODELCO copper company, this week questioned the utility of a Pinochet-era law that gives 10% of CODELCO sales to the Chilean military.

• Wednesday, June 25th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Ecuador Colombia relations back in the cold and trade threats

  Ecuador will not resume diplomatic ties with Colombia after the latter decided to postpone renewal of relations, Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Maria Isabel Salvador announced this week in Quito.

• Wednesday, June 25th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Chavez arms shopping in Russia to defend “revolution”

  

  President Hugo Chavez said that Venezuela will continue to strengthen its military power following the announcement that vice president Ramon Carrizalez and Defence minister General Gustavo Rangel Briceño would be traveling to Russia to intensify military cooperation.

• Tuesday, June 24th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Cristina among the three worst rated presidents

  

  Six months into office Argentina's president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner honeymoon with the electorate is over and under. Her standing is also at the bottom rock of a list of Latinamerican and US leaders according to the latest public opinion poll from the renowned Mexican consulting firm Mitofsky.