Latin America

• Monday, August 12th 2013 - 01:24 UTC

  Cristina Fernandez defeated in Argentina’s main electoral districts; Massa pledges ‘end to confrontation’

  

  President Cristina Fernandez Victory Front managed to remain as the leading political force nationwide on Sunday’s congressional primaries but her opponents emerged exceptionally strong in the all-important province of Buenos Aires and the other main districts of the country, to the extent that some political analysts anticipate the beginning of the end of the ten years of Kirchnerism.

• Sunday, August 11th 2013 - 23:25 UTC

  Mapuche conflict in Chile flares up following the killing of local indigenous activist

  

  Dozens turned out on Saturday in southern Chile for the funeral of a Mapuche land activist and fugitive who last Tuesday was found dead of shotgun wounds to the chest. Carabineros have made no arrests and have no suspects so far, said local authorities.

• Sunday, August 11th 2013 - 21:28 UTC

  Cristina Fernandez will attend Cartes inauguration in Paraguay; problems with Mercosur protocol

  

  Argentine President Cristina Fernandez confirmed by writing that she would be attending the inauguration of Paraguayan president Horacio Cartes next Thursday 15 August, according the organization committee of the event in Asuncion, Ambassador Federico Gonzalez and head of Protocol at the Paraguayan foreign ministry.

• Sunday, August 11th 2013 - 21:19 UTC

  Brazil’s Rousseff approval rating bouncing back; support for economic team remains ‘soft’

  

  President Dilma Rousseff’s approval rating gained six percentage points after diving in the wake of massive protests in Brazil, a poll published on yesterday showed. The number of Brazilians who consider Rousseff’s administration “great” or “good” was 36%, up from an all-time low 30% in late June.

• Sunday, August 11th 2013 - 04:36 UTC

  Unasur lifts suspension pending on Paraguay effective 15 August

  

  The Union of South American Nations, Unasur, decided late Friday to lift the suspension pending on Paraguay, which will become effective next 15 August when president-elect Horacio Cartes takes office.

• Saturday, August 10th 2013 - 17:06 UTC

  Argentina Sunday primaries a leadership dispute inside the hegemonic Peronist party

  

  On Sunday Argentina will go to the polls to select their candidates for the country’s upcoming October legislative elections. Though it may seem a trivial democratic chapter, the open, mandatory and simultaneous primaries will in fact be the first step in an election that is likely to prove critical to Argentina and most probably a referendum on President Cristina Fernandez’ administration.

• Saturday, August 10th 2013 - 02:38 UTC

  Kerry arrives in Brazil on Tuesday to try and iron out strained relations over US spying

  

  The government of President Dilma Rousseff will raise the issue of US spying on Brazilian companies and individuals next week when US Secretary of State John Kerry visits Brazil.

• Saturday, August 10th 2013 - 02:33 UTC

  Vazquez is the Uruguayan political leader with the highest acceptance, 62%

  

  Former Uruguayan president Tabare Vazquez who this week announced he was prepared to be the ruling coalition’s candidate for next year’s presidential bid, is by far the political leader of the country which has the highest degree of acceptance, according to a Mori public opinion poll released earlier in the week.

• Saturday, August 10th 2013 - 02:17 UTC

  OAS calls for respect and self determination for Indigenous Peoples

  

  Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary General José Miguel Insulza commemorated on Friday the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples with a call for the protection of the all native peoples of the Americas and urged the full implementation of treaties and other agreements that states have adopted internationally and especially in the Inter-American context.

• Saturday, August 10th 2013 - 02:10 UTC

  Indigenous peoples in Argentina: “we don’t want to be considered strangers in our own country”

  

  “We want to live as human beings. We don’t want to be considered as strangers in our own country, poor or useless. We want to live without discrimination. We don’t want blood shed, we just want to reclaim our community,” said to Amnesty International Félix Díaz, leader of the Qom indigenous community of Potae Napocna Navogoh (La Primavera), in Argentina’s northern province of Formosa.