Latin America

• Wednesday, April 18th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  “Chavism” is non existent, “it's a president with a checkbook”

  Chilean former president Ricardo Lagos denied the existence of “Chavism” (President Chavez ideology) both in Venezuela and in the rest of Latinamerica but rather “a charismatic president with a lot of money available and who lacks a solid political support”.

• Tuesday, April 17th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile's main retail market chains invest in Punta Arenas

  The Punta Arenas retail market in the extreme south of Chile has significantly grown in recent years, attracting Chile's leading retailers. Retail giants Lider, Fallabella, La Polar and Johnson's have opened branches in the southern Region XII city over the past three years, and saw profitable returns in 2006.

• Sunday, April 15th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Ecuador: Landslide victory for Correa and new political model

  

  Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa achieved a solid political victory following the landslide support in Sunday's referendum to call a constitutional assembly with full powers to review the chart and set the foundations for a “new model” of country.

• Friday, April 13th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  IMF recommends “careful vigilance” of credit expansion in Latinamerica

  The International Monetary Fund, IMF said Latin America's private credit expansion requires “careful vigilance”, particularly with household loans and collateral conditions.

• Thursday, April 12th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Al Gore dumps Barrick Gold sponsorship for Chile visist

  

  Al Gore has dumped financial backing from controversial Canadian mining company Barrick Gold for his upcoming Santiago event “Global Warming and Climate Change: The Time Has Come to Act.” The Academy Award-winning environmentalist distanced himself from any association with the mining company, which owns the controversial Pascua Lama gold mine.

• Wednesday, April 11th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Excellent prospects for South American soybean farmers

  The international soybean market, the main crop in Argentina and Brazil, is showing excellent prospects for South American farmers reports Oil World a reputed publication from the industry

• Wednesday, April 11th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Bolivia “shifts strategy” and attacks coca growing stronghold

  

  Bolivia opened a new front this week in its fight to reduce illegal coca production, sending United States backed eradication teams into a traditional coca-growing region in the Andean foothills long avoided by previous governments.

• Wednesday, April 11th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Emergency plan to preserve Ecuador's Galapagos islands

  

  Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa ordered his cabinet ministers to urgently discuss ways of preventing environmental degradation in Ecuador's famed Galapagos Islands. Correa's suggestions include restricting tourist and residency permits as well as flights to the islands.

• Monday, April 9th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Peru does not discard The Hague over Chile maritime border issue

  Following the thwarted nationalist march that took place close to the border between Chile and Peru last week, Peruvian President Alan García gave the first clear signal this weekend that Peru will take the long-standing maritime border issue to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

• Monday, April 9th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  LAN announces plan to invest US$ 2.6 billion in new planes

  

  LAN airlines will buy 52 new airplanes over the next five year, increasing their air fleet by 83%. The airline will invest approximately US$ 2.6 billion from 2007 to 2011 to improve services and purchase the new planes. By 2011, LAN will operate 115 planes — 102 passenger planes and 13 cargo planes.