Latin America

• Saturday, March 17th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Drastic measures in Chile for common hake conservation

  

  Chile decided the implementation of a conservation and recovery plan for (hubbsi) common hake following a survey which warns about the species “conservation high risk” and particularly the threat to “future renewal” in the country's main fisheries.

• Friday, March 16th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Venezuelan financial support to region exceeds US aid

  

  Venezuelan financial aid to Latin America has surpassed U.S. commitments in the region, President Hugo Chavez said Wednesday, shortly after President Bush completed a tour seen by some as an attempt to curtail Chavez's spreading influence in the region.

• Friday, March 16th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  “Historic” debt relief for Latam's five poorest countries

  

  United States Treasury Assistant Secretary for International Affairs Clay Lowery commended Friday the Inter-American Development Bank's “historic” approval of a debt relief package that will provide 3.4 billion US dollars in debt reduction for five of the region's poorest countries: Bolivia, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

• Thursday, March 15th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile recalls Venezuela envoy over TV remarks

  

  Chile's ambassador to Venezuela was ordered home Wednesday because of a television interview in which he discussed what he said was a private conversation with President Michelle Bachelet about Chile's vote last year in a U.N. Security Council election.

• Wednesday, March 14th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Executive/Congress confrontation escalates in Ecuador

  A group of congressmen ousted by Ecuador's top electoral court for trying to block President Rafael Correa's plans for a national referendum forced their way into Congress and took up their seats as rival police forces answering to the executive and legislative branches scuffled with each other.

• Tuesday, March 13th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Guatemala surprises Bush with immigration, deportation issue

  

  Immigration, drug trafficking, bio-fuels and insecurity dominated talks in Guatemala between President Bush and his counterpart Oscar Berger. Bush spent Monday in Guatemala before flying to Merida, Mexico the last leg of his five countries trip to the region.

• Tuesday, March 13th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile's 2006 tourism investment hits 2.1 billion US dollars

  Figures recently released by Chile's National Chamber of Commerce and Tourism (CNC) show tourism investment in 2006 to be the highest in five years. Investment last year reached 2.1 billion US dollars, up 4.7% over 2005.

• Monday, March 12th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  US “minimum” reaction to Chavez provocations

  US President George Bush told his Brazilian counterpart that he has decided to “minimize” reactions to statements from Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, reported the Brazilian press.

• Monday, March 12th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile's Bachelet marks first year anniversary with mixed record

  

  Michelle Bachelet, Chile's first woman president, marked the first year anniversary of her government on Sunday. A darling of the international press, her presidency garnered unprecedented interest abroad by championing her liberal values in what was once South America's most conservative country. Still, she completes her first year with a mixed record.

• Sunday, March 11th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Bush praises “good friend” Uribe and promises more aid

  President George W Bush thanked Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe for his support in the anti-drugs war and promised to work “intensely” to have US Congress ratify the free trade agreement between both countries.