Latin America

• Wednesday, December 14th 2016 - 15:24 UTC

  Double taxation: Ecuador, Italy sign agreement to foster private investements

  

  Ecuador signed an agreement with Italy to define the tax obligations of the citizens of the two countries, in order to avoid double taxation on income taxes and equity and prevent tax evasion, the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry said.

• Wednesday, December 14th 2016 - 09:21 UTC

  Yesterday Colombia, now Venezuela closes border with Brazil

  

  The government of President Nicolas Maduro government closed the border with Brazil for 72 hours for the same reason it had taken the same measure with Colombia: money smuggling, Brazilian local authorities and residents of southern Venezuela who routinely cross to Brazil where they can make transactions in bolivars confirmed.

• Wednesday, December 14th 2016 - 08:32 UTC

  Maduro/Vazquez address Mercosur conflict; 'uninvited' Venezuelan minister expected in Buenos Aires

  

  On the eve of Argentina becoming the next chair of Mercosur, Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro revealed he held an hour long video conference with his Uruguayan peer Tabare Vazquez and they both agreed in building a path “to channel the current conflict”, which has Venezuela suspended from the group, but is rejected point blank by Caracas.

• Tuesday, December 13th 2016 - 10:45 UTC

  Cuba, Europe normalize relations after 20 years

  

  Cuba and the Eurpean Union Monday signed in Brussels their first cooperation agreement, which will be from now on the legal basis of the link between the island and the 28 EU countries.

• Sunday, December 11th 2016 - 23:14 UTC

  Peru's Air Force Mi-8/17 helicopters secure spares from Russia as of next year

  

  The Russian Helicopters holding came out the winning bidder on supply of spare parts for Mi-8/17 helicopters of Peru’s Air Force and will start deliveries next year, Executive Director of the company Grigoriy Kozlov said on Friday. The company also plans to build a pilot training center in Peru next year, it was announced.

• Saturday, December 10th 2016 - 17:44 UTC

  Cuba and Russia sign defence cooperation agreement

  

  The Vicepresident of the Council of Ministers of Cuba, Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz and Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin Friday signed a new defense cooperation agreement in Havana as well as six other treaties in the fields of technology, aviation, medicine and railroad transport.

• Saturday, December 10th 2016 - 12:30 UTC

  Santander announces new investment in Mexico's banking market

  

  Banco Santander has announced plans to invest 15 billion pesos ($735 million) in Mexico over the next three years despite market uncertainty as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration draws nearer.

• Friday, December 9th 2016 - 04:41 UTC

  Falklands/Malvinas: Red Cross hosting talks on identifying Argentine soldiers buried in Darwin

  

  The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in an official release announced that on Friday, (9 December), in Geneva, it will be hosting talks with delegations from Argentina and the United Kingdom to discuss next steps relating to the identification of the unidentified Argentine soldiers buried in Darwin cemetery in the Falkland/Malvinas Islands.

• Tuesday, December 6th 2016 - 08:33 UTC

  Human Freedom Index: Chile, Costa Rica lead in Latin America

  

  The Human Freedom Index 2016, (HFI), was released on Monday, the second annual report that represents the state of overall freedom in the world based on a broad measure of personal, civil and economic freedom. Co-published by the Cato Institute, the Fraser Institute (Canada) and the Liberales Institut (Germany) from the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, it looks into 179 distinct indicators in 159 countries on issues ranging from freedom of speech and association to women’s freedoms, the extent of voluntary exchange, safety and security, the rule of law and more.

• Tuesday, December 6th 2016 - 06:31 UTC

  Incarcerated ex Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori hospitalized

  

  Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori was hospitalized over concerns he may be at risk of cerebral ischemia, a reduced blood supply to the brain, it was reported Monday by authorities of the detention facilities where he is serving a sentence for human rights violations.