Latin America

• Monday, October 14th 2013 - 05:38 UTC

  Brazil considers ‘absurd’ some of Mercosur limitations and points to Argentina

  

  Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff said it was ‘absurd’ that in the context of Mercosur the free circulation of goods was non existent and expressed disappointment with Argentina’s obstacles, but nevertheless insisted dialogue was the only valid instrument to overcome trade differences.

• Monday, October 14th 2013 - 05:35 UTC

  Cristina Fernandez resting in Olivos; 30 days of strict recovery

  

  Argentine President Cristina Fernández, 60, was discharged Sunday midday from the Buenos Aires Favaloro Foundation hospital where she underwent successful surgery on a ‘subdural chronic haematoma’ after being given the all-clear from doctors.

• Monday, October 14th 2013 - 05:28 UTC

  Colombia peace talks stalled; government concerned with slow pace of negotiation

  

  The Colombian government and left-wing FARC rebels ended a 15th round of peace negotiations on Sunday trading accusations over responsibility for the slow pace of the talks and for the first time failing to issue a joint statement on their progress.

• Sunday, October 13th 2013 - 12:14 UTC

  Bye, bye Mercosur: Brazil advances on its own in trade agreement with EU

  

  Mercosur has many internal problems and therefore it is much easier to work with Brazil, said European Commission Vice-President for Industry and Entrepreneurship Antonio Tajani who spent this week two days of negotiations with top officials in Brasilia.

• Sunday, October 13th 2013 - 11:57 UTC

  Venezuela arrests oil-exploration vessel in disputed waters with Guyana

  

  Guyana says the Venezuelan navy has entered its territorial waters and detained a US-operated ship. The government said the Venezuelan actions in the disputed Essequibo region constituted “a serious threat to peace in the region”.

• Sunday, October 13th 2013 - 11:51 UTC

  Chilean presidential election is between “Michelle Bachelet and I” says Evelyn Matthei

  

  Chilean presidential candidate for the ruling party Evelyn Matthei was the target of her competitors’ criticism during a televised debate in which she brushed aside hopefuls’ aspirations arguing that it was obvious that the race was between her and Michelle Bachelet, who did not participate.

• Saturday, October 12th 2013 - 22:24 UTC

  Falklands: G24 Caribbean member PM visits Argentina, special guest of Cristina Fernandez

  

  Argentine Vice-president and acting President Amado Boudou, Foreign Minister Hector Timerman, other cabinet ministers and lawmakers met this week with Saint Vincent and Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Everard Gonsalves, on an official invitation to visit the country to thank the Caribbean leader for his support in the Malvinas cause.

• Saturday, October 12th 2013 - 22:11 UTC

  Argentina and Brazil blast IMF for its excess of pessimism regarding emerging economies

  

  Argentina and Brazil strongly questioned the IMF generalized “excess of pessimism” because of a slowing down in emerging economies but also underlined that these countries have the sufficient ‘training’ and recent experience to confront the new challenges.

• Saturday, October 12th 2013 - 21:55 UTC

  Argentina denies having set any ultimatum regarding the pulp mill controversy with Uruguay

  

  The Argentine Foreign ministry denied on Friday it had given a two-day ultimatum to Uruguay to suspend the decision allowing the controversial Botnia/UPM pulp mill a production expansion and also demanded an immediate return to bilateral negotiations.

• Friday, October 11th 2013 - 13:28 UTC

  Venezuela inflation soars to 49%; Maduro promises more dollars to help with imports

  

  Venezuela's annual inflation rate rose to 49.4% in September, from 45.4% in August. Consumer prices increased 4.4% month-on-month, the central bank said, compared with 3.0% in August. It was the highest annual rate since the Venezuelan government changed the formula used to calculate the figure five years ago.