Latin America

• Friday, February 21st 2014 - 06:46 UTC

  Argentina and Brazil fearful Venezuelan crowds in the streets could be contagious

  

  The current political crisis in Venezuela is rattling regional organizations, has two of the leading countries fearful of the crowds in the streets, while Latin American left wing populism believes there is a concerted right wing effort to destabilize the governments of Venezuela and Argentina, according to Argentine political analyst Rosendo Fraga.

• Friday, February 21st 2014 - 00:16 UTC

  Uruguayans want closer links and trade with the Falklands/Malvinas shows survey

  

  A majority of Uruguayans, 55%, believe their country must support Argentina's sovereignty claims over the Falklands/Malvinas Islands but an overwhelming 80% also want closer trade links with the Islands and reject the ban on Falklands flagged vessels to operate from Montevideo or other Uruguayan ports. In both cases neutral opinions range 11% and 12%.

• Thursday, February 20th 2014 - 04:11 UTC

  North American partners meet to celebrate NAFTA 20 years, but the agenda has many frictions

  

  US President Barack Obama joined the Mexican and Canadian leaders Wednesday for a North American summit focused on trade but marked by friction between the “three amigos”. Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto shook hands with Obama in an ornate state government palace in Toluca, near Mexico City, for private one-on-one talks before Prime Minister Stephen Harper joined them later.

• Wednesday, February 19th 2014 - 23:01 UTC

  In a pre-recorded message López calls for protests against Maduro to continue

  

  Imprisoned protest leader Leopoldo Lopez urged supporters to keep fighting for the departure of Venezuela's populist government, even as he was due in court accused of fomenting unrest that has killed at least five people.

• Wednesday, February 19th 2014 - 22:50 UTC

  Majority of Argentines want Cristina Fernandez to finish her four year mandate

  

  Over half the Argentines want president Cristina Fernandez to remain in office and to finish her four year mandate and at the same time reject conspiracy theories which pretend to force the exit of the controversial leader.

• Wednesday, February 19th 2014 - 22:38 UTC

  Mercosur to meet 7 March to finalize the proposal to be presented to EU

  

  In early March Mercosur will have readied its proposal to liberate trade to be presented to the European Union, the basis for a wide-ranging cooperation and trade agreement between the two blocks, announced Rubens Barbosa, head of the Trade Council from the Sao Paulo State Industries Federation, FIESP.

• Wednesday, February 19th 2014 - 22:24 UTC

  Hague and Figuereido optimistic about outcome of the delayed Mercosur/EU trade pact

  

  Brazilian and UK foreign ministers Luiz Alberto Figuereido and William Hague said that Mercosur and the European Union are concluding the tariffs' reduction proposals which they plan to exchange as part of the process leading to a wide ranging cooperation and trade agreement between the two blocks.

• Wednesday, February 19th 2014 - 04:58 UTC

  Santos sacks Colombian top brass following exposure of corruption ring

  

  President Juan Manuel Santos announced on Tuesday a major overhaul of Colombia's armed forces high command following revelations of corruption in military procurement.

• Tuesday, February 18th 2014 - 21:33 UTC

  Mujica exposed 'to contempt of justice' for refusing to pay Judiciary branch budget increase

  

  The Uruguayan Judiciary branch warned President Jose Mujica that he is in contempt of justice for ignoring a budget bill that contemplates salary increases for judges and other members of independent government bodies.

• Tuesday, February 18th 2014 - 20:25 UTC

  In the midst of a huge turnout, Venezuelan opposition leader hands himself to security forces

  

  Hard-line opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez has handed himself over to Venezuelan security forces answering an arrest warrant placed on the figure following last week's fatal protests against the regime of President Nicolas Maduro. The government formally accused Lopez of instigating the protests and conspiring for a right-wing coup.