Latin America

• Thursday, November 7th 2013 - 06:58 UTC

  Symbolic fourth bell returns from Wales to Chile's 14th Fire Brigade, 150 years later

  

  In another demonstration of the close links of Chile and Britain, members of the 14th Fire Brigade from the city of Santiago de Chile officially received the fourth bell of the old Compañía de Jesús Church which was completely destroyed by a devastating fire that also killed over 2.500 people in 1863, almost 150 years ago.

• Thursday, November 7th 2013 - 06:55 UTC

  Colombia/ FARC announce 'fundamental agreement' on political future of guerrillas

  

  Colombia's government and Marxist FARC rebels reached a “fundamental agreement” on the guerrillas' future in politics, one of the thorniest issues addressed in peace talks in Cuba, according to a joint statement.

• Wednesday, November 6th 2013 - 03:17 UTC

  Cristina Fernandez could be discharged this week, but with what intensity will she return to the presidency?

  

  On Thursday 7 it will be a month since Argentine President Cristina Fernández was forced to undergo surgery to have a blood clot removed with latest medical reports indicating time for the head of state to return to office might be coming soon. Human rights leader Estela de Carlotto, acting as an improvised spokesperson said that time could be on “November 9 or 10.”

• Wednesday, November 6th 2013 - 01:38 UTC

  Piñera joins the Pascua Lama gold mine project fray and points to Barrick Gold

  

  Chilean President Sebastián Piñera has entered the fray surrounding Barrick Gold’s decision to temporarily suspend construction on its troubled Pascua Lama gold mine which straddles up in the Andes along Chile and Argentina, a move which activists slammed as a ploy.

• Wednesday, November 6th 2013 - 01:24 UTC

  Chilean presidential hopeful Matthei 'embarrassed' by the 'poll festival'

  

  Chile's ruling-party candidate Evelyn Matthei said she is “embarrassed” by the “poll festival” that shows opposition candidate Michelle Bachelet as the clear front-runner ahead of the country’s November 17 presidential election. Several polls have shown former president Bachelet could have enough votes to win in the first round of voting.

• Tuesday, November 5th 2013 - 13:50 UTC

  Brazil consumer watchdog orders airlines to reduce 'abusive' domestic fare for 2014 World Cup

  

  Brazil's consumer watchdog Procon Rio do Janeiro branch has ordered five airlines to reduce “abusive” domestic fares during next year's FIFA World Cup. Avianca, TAM, Gol, Azul and Oceanair have been accused of inflating prices up to 10-fold during the June 12-July 13 tournament.

• Tuesday, November 5th 2013 - 13:40 UTC

  ”This woman (Cristina Fernandez) is a scoundrel, hates Uruguay and will try to harm us the most”

  

  A Uruguay former central bank president and now head of an investment fund described Argentine president Cristina Fernandez as a 'scoundrel' that will do her utmost to harm Uruguay because 'they hate us'. Juan Carlos Protasi made the statements during a morning conference to analyze the current Argentine economic situation and its regional implications.

• Tuesday, November 5th 2013 - 08:09 UTC

  President Maduro declares that 'early Christmas” has arrived in Venezuela

  

  Venezuela's Supreme Happiness ministry is rolling: President Nicolás Maduro declared official the arrival of “early Christmas”, nearly two months ahead of the actual holiday and the surprise was that all workers will receive the first two-thirds of their bonuses and pensions on November 10/11, which critics claim is only meant to get him votes in the municipal elections of December 8.

• Tuesday, November 5th 2013 - 08:06 UTC

  Brazilian stats confirm the country is one of the most violent countries

  

  Five people were killed on average daily in clashes with police in Brazil last year, according to a survey cited by the daily O Globo Sunday edition. The report from the Brazilian Forum on Public Security found that 1,890 people in 23 Brazilian states were killed in such circumstances in 2012, including 1,322 just in the states of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Bahia.

• Tuesday, November 5th 2013 - 08:02 UTC

  Brazil admits to its own spying 'ten years ago and to protect the national interest'

  

  Brazil which hotly denounced US surveillance of its leaders, itself spied on US officials as well as on Russia, Iran and Iraq a decade ago, the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper reported on Monday.