Latin America

• Monday, October 27th 2014 - 06:31 UTC

  Uruguayan presidential run-off on 30 November; ruling coalition ruins pollsters forecasts

  

  Uruguayan pollsters again seem to have missed their target regarding estimate results of Sunday's legislative and presidential elections: the ruling Broad Front coalition presidential candidate Tabare Vazquez took a strong lead in the exit polls, and although he will be forced to a run-off with runner up Luis Lacalle Pou as anticipated, the percentage numbers indicate he should be able to achieve a comfortable win at the end of November, contrary to what was forecasted.

• Monday, October 27th 2014 - 02:08 UTC

  Dilma with Lula da Silva's magic, re-elected in rich-poor divided Brazil

  

  Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff supported by the decisive campaigning of Lula da Silva, narrowly won re-election on Sunday after convincing voters that the record on poverty reduction in the last twelve years was more important than a recent economic slump.

• Friday, October 24th 2014 - 20:13 UTC

  Pacific Alliance and Mercosur have “a shared vision of regional integration”

  

  Pacific Alliance and Mercosur country members will be holding a meeting in Colombia “to plan the productive future of Latin America with a shared vision” announced Mexico's minister of economy Ildefonso Guajardo.

• Friday, October 24th 2014 - 07:19 UTC

  Uruguayan candidates end campaigns with their minds on a November runoff

  

  The three main presidential candidates for Uruguay's Sunday 26 October election closed their campaigns on Thursday evening with three huge political rallies that gathered thousands of militants and put an end to months of travel, speeches, flesh pressing and baby kissing, in what could prove to be the tightest race in recent years.

• Wednesday, October 22nd 2014 - 10:02 UTC

  Uruguay faces the most competitive election since the return of democracy

  

  Uruguay is less than four days away from Sunday 26 October general election with opinion polls unable to forecast a clear winner, and a strong possibility that the left wing coalition could lose its legislative majority enjoyed in the last ten years and even the Executive.

• Tuesday, October 21st 2014 - 07:07 UTC

  Former Peruvian prosecutor named head of Transparency International

  

  Global anti-corruption campaigners at Transparency International elected Peruvian lawyer Jose Ugaz as it’s new head on Sunday marking a shift from quiet diplomacy in combating fraud and bribery toward more grassroots activism.

• Monday, October 20th 2014 - 08:46 UTC

  Morales 'king' of Bolivia; his two thirds majority in congress open the way to reform the constitution

  

  President Evo Morales swept to a third term with 61% of the vote, electoral officials said in confirming the result. The October 12 balloting was a massive vote of support and a strong mandate to expand his reforms which will have a swift legislative discussion since Morales party obtained two thirds of the Legislative Assembly benches.

• Monday, October 20th 2014 - 08:31 UTC

  First time voters in Uruguay more attracted to opposition candidate Lacalle Pou

  

  Uruguay's general elections next Sunday are not only a neck-to-neck dispute between the two main presidential candidates, (unpredictable only six months ago), but are also revealing that the ruling coalition has lost its dominant allure over new voters, according to pollsters.

• Saturday, October 18th 2014 - 08:39 UTC

  The Caribbean and Colombia ban entry of travelers from Ebola stricken countries

  

  A group of Caribbean countries have announced bans on entry to foreigners who have travelled through the three West African countries most affected by Ebola. Jamaica said it would not accept travelers from Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone for the time being.

• Saturday, October 18th 2014 - 08:22 UTC

  Fallon visits Gibraltar and reaffirms UK support to deal with unlawful Spanish incursions

  

  A package of new measures announced by the Defense Secretary has reaffirmed the UK’s support to Gibraltar. On his first visit since becoming Secretary of State, Michael Fallon paid tribute to those working to support defense activities in Gibraltar and emphasized the strategic importance of the permanent joint operating base there.