Latin America

• Wednesday, May 6th 2015 - 07:10 UTC

  OAS deploys electoral observation mission for Guyana Sunday's election

  

  The Organization of American States has started the deployment of the Electoral Observation Mission of the Organization of American States to the general and regional elections scheduled iin Guyana for Sunday May 11. This is the fifth time the OAS has observed elections in Guyana, following Missions in 1997, 2001, 2006 and 2011.

• Wednesday, May 6th 2015 - 06:55 UTC

  Pope Francis will receive Cuba's Raul Castro on private visit next Sunday

  

  Pope Francis and Cuban President Raul Castro will meet privately on Sunday at the Vatican, a spokesman said, four months before the pontiff's trip to the Caribbean island, his first as leader of the Catholic Church.

• Wednesday, May 6th 2015 - 05:49 UTC

  US approves licenses for passenger ferry service with Cuba

  

  The US Treasury Department has approved licenses for passenger ferry service between the United States and Cuba, a Treasury Department official announced. One of the licenses was issued to Baja Ferries, part of a major shipping group with passengers and cargo operations, including on Mexico's west coast, according to a lawyer who handled the license application.

• Tuesday, May 5th 2015 - 17:38 UTC

  Brad Pitt invited to Ecuador to observe the 'pollution disaster” allegedly caused by Chevron

  

  US cinema star Brad Pitt has been invited by the Ecuadorian government to observe the pollution in the country's Amazon region allegedly caused by Chevron. President Rafael Correa announced the invitation in his regular weekend report, saying that the oil giant is in preparation of spearheading a film with the movie star about an alleged case against the company.

• Tuesday, May 5th 2015 - 09:25 UTC

  Chile asks World Court to throw out Bolivia's sea outlet claim: 'dispute has been settled'

  

  Landlocked Bolivia went to the World Court on Monday, seeking to force Chile to negotiate the granting of a corridor of sovereign territory giving it access to the sea for its natural gas and mineral exports. Bolivia lost its coastal territory after being defeated by Chile in the 1880s War of the Pacific. Peru an ally of Bolivia also lost territory.

• Monday, May 4th 2015 - 06:30 UTC

  Uruguay has the lowest corruption perception among Mercosur members

  

  Uruguay enjoys the lowest perception of corruption among Mercosur countries and also a privileged position at global level, according to the country's Transparency and Public Ethics Commission. The ranking was based on data from Transparency International and World Bank for the period extending from 2003 to 2014.

• Wednesday, April 29th 2015 - 22:59 UTC

  Flexibility to discuss trade accords with third parties, Uruguay demands from Mercosur

  

  Brazil's deteriorating economy and the recession tendency in Argentina, Mercosur main and largest partners, are influencing inter-group trade and the Uruguayan government is pressing for more flexibility that should allow it to negotiate agreements or understandings with third parties.

• Wednesday, April 29th 2015 - 22:48 UTC

  Uruguay insists Mercosur must achieve “a free trade zone which effectively works”

  

  Uruguay again complained about the current stalled situation of Mercosur and called for members to 'sincere' themselves regarding the compliance of the original 1991 founding charter, and hopefully “we can at least reach the first stage of the chronogram: a free trade zone which effectively works and has not to bear the brunt of hurdles”.

• Wednesday, April 29th 2015 - 08:40 UTC

  “Being Argentine, they thought I would call myself Jesus II” and not Francis

  

  After meeting Pope Francis at the Vatican on Tuesday, the president of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, told his two million Twitter followers that the pontiff had spoken enthusiastically about his coming visit to the country and had even told him a self-deprecating joke about the Argentines.

• Monday, April 27th 2015 - 22:48 UTC

  Paraguay and Uruguay ministers to discuss recovering paralyzed Mercosur

  

  Following on the lead of Uruguay's new government, Paraguay has also demanded Mercosur returns to its roots and original objective with free circulation of goods and no obstructions of any kind or impediments such as tariff barriers. The five countries group has been paralyzed and negotiations for an encompassing cooperation and trade agreement with the European Union remain stalled.