Latin America

• Monday, October 28th 2013 - 05:37 UTC

  Argentine government retains congress; Massa and Macri confirm 2015 presidential ambition

  

  Argentine President Cristina Fernandez's governing bloc held onto control of Congress in Sunday's mid-term elections, but the results also confirmed the emergence of a new group of powerful leaders who with different messages (and non-messages) anticipated on that same night that their target it the presidential chair in 2015.

• Monday, October 28th 2013 - 05:33 UTC

  Rousseff and Mantega dispute IMF report on Brazil as 'incoherent'

  

  Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff responded to the International Monetary Fund concern over the country's fiscal situation, saying Brazil was fulfilling its responsibilities. IMF claimed that Brazil's competitiveness had eroded in recent months and downgraded the country's growth forecast from 4.25% to 3.5%.

• Monday, October 28th 2013 - 05:23 UTC

  Candidate Bachelet announces constitutional reform, tax on the rich and more power to unions

  

  Chilean former president and opposition coalition New Majority candidate Michelle Bachelet presented her government's program which is based on a review of the constitution, education and tax reforms, legalizing same sex marriage, government managed pension funds and strengthening unions' bargaining power, among other issues.

• Saturday, October 26th 2013 - 15:45 UTC

  Brazil's main city again rocked by riots and vandalism over transport facilities and costs

  

  Brazilian police fired tear gas and have arrested scores of protesters in the country's main city Sao Paulo when a march demanding free public transportation for students turned violent. The protest on Friday evening blocked key city streets and disrupted the public transportation system in the city of 11 million. Police reported the arrest of at least 78 people.

• Saturday, October 26th 2013 - 13:48 UTC

  Sunday election, an anticipation for the 2015 post Cristina Fernandez chapter

  

  Sunday's midterm election in Argentina has become crucial for the government of President Cristina Fernandez who must retain control of Congress in the last two years of her mandate ahead of the 2015 presidential election, otherwise she runs the risk of becoming a lame duck accompanied by a most unwished end for the legacy of the Kirchner couple decade-plus rule.

• Saturday, October 26th 2013 - 04:59 UTC

  Paraguay will lead Mercosur trade negotiations with the EU next December

  

  The Paraguayan foreign affairs ministry will represent Mercosur next December when the exchange of proposals with the European Union for a long pending free trade agreement, announced Uruguayan president Jose Mujica on Friday following private talks with his visiting peer from Paraguay, Horacio Cartes.

• Saturday, October 26th 2013 - 00:39 UTC

  Cartes pledges motivation and support for those who help create wealth and jobs

  

  President Horacio Cartes said on Friday he wanted “a reliable and serious Paraguay, full of self esteem” taking advantage of the good economic times and pledged motivation and support for all those who help generate wealth and jobs for the country. However he also admitted that Paraguay has serious failings, “but problems are challenges and opportunities”.

• Saturday, October 26th 2013 - 00:25 UTC

  Paraguayan president ratifies full political support for Mercosur

  

  President Horacio Cartes although admitting he is heart and mind committed to Mercosur, Paraguay's full return to Mercosur is in the hands of diplomacy since as head of state he must abide strictly by the rule of the law.

• Friday, October 25th 2013 - 14:21 UTC

  Guyana-Venezuela: The consequences of ideology and avarice

  

  By Sir Ronald Sanders - BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - The internal politics of Venezuela is playing a big part in the sudden deterioration of that country’s relations with its smaller neighbor Guyana after a period of steady improvement.

• Friday, October 25th 2013 - 14:07 UTC

  Feeling unhappy, try Orwellian Venezuela: Maduro creates the “Supreme Happiness” office

  

  Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced the creation of the “Supreme Happiness Under Secretary” to address social debt shortcomings and which was in honor of the late Commandant and president Hugo Chavez and the country's liberator, Simon Bolivar.