Latin America

• Saturday, August 3rd 2013 - 02:17 UTC

  Mexican government prepares sweeping reform for the energy sector

  

  Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto has announced a sweeping energy reform, which is expected to include constitutional changes to lure private investment and boost output, will be presented to Congress next week

• Saturday, August 3rd 2013 - 01:53 UTC

  Brazil investment in science, via the ministerial budget reaches ‘an all time high’

  

  Brazil's investment in science has reached an all-time high, with the science ministry's budget increasing from 8.6 billion Real (about 3.8 billion dollars) in 2012 to 12.7 billion Real (around 5.6bn) this year, according to science minister Marco Antonio Raupp.

• Saturday, August 3rd 2013 - 01:41 UTC

  EU FTA agreements with Colombia and Central America became effective August first

  

  Free trade agreements, FTA, signed by the European Union with Colombia, and with Central American countries Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama became effective August first as part of the EU strategy to eliminate tariffs on trade with Central American and the Andean region.

• Saturday, August 3rd 2013 - 01:38 UTC

  Santos describes Colombian economy as the ‘third fastest growing’ in Latam

  

  The Colombian economy is the third fastest growing in Latinamerica with a stable performance in 2012 of 4%; an estimated 4.5% this year and 4.7% in 2014, said President Juan Manuel Santos on making a balance of his three years in office.

• Friday, August 2nd 2013 - 04:17 UTC

  Argentines capable of ‘eluding the Pope and the UN in getting dollars out of their country’

  

  Uruguay president José 'Pepe' Mujica was again ironic in praising Argentines when he stated that the Argentine population “is capable of eluding the Pope and even the United Nations” in their quest to buy US dollars and get them out of the country, in spite of current exchange controls.

• Friday, August 2nd 2013 - 04:10 UTC

  Paraguay advancing on trade agreement with Mexico, previous to requesting Pacific Alliance membership

  

  Paraguay and Mexico have made significant advances in reaching a trade agreement in the framework of the Latinamerican Integration Association, ALADI, according to Paraguayan diplomatic sources.

• Friday, August 2nd 2013 - 03:26 UTC

  Brazil's Rousseff announces billions to improve Sao Paulo transport system

  

  Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff moved quickly this week to improve bus services in the metropolis of Sao Paulo, where protests over a fare increase in June triggered an outburst of national discontent that battered her popularity and questioned the country’s infrastructure for two major world events in 2014 and 2016.

• Friday, August 2nd 2013 - 03:20 UTC

  UN narcotics board says Uruguay’s marijuana bill is contrary to international treaties

  

  A United Nations narcotics body on Thursday expressed alarm about a bill passed by Uruguay’s Lower House that would legalize marijuana.

• Friday, August 2nd 2013 - 03:09 UTC

  Argentine opposition announces the ‘real life’ GDP growth index: 0.5% in the first quarter

  

  Several Argentine opposition groups have started publishing their own GDP index, (as they do with inflation) based on the average of data processed by private consultants which are exposed to the intimidation of President Cristina Fernandez administration officials.

• Friday, August 2nd 2013 - 03:01 UTC

  Argentina’s energy challenges according to The Economist: Flogging a dead cow

  

  The Economist in its latest printed edition addresses Argentina’s challenges in the energy field including the seizure of a majority stake in YPF from Spain’s Repsol and the latest agreement with US oil company Chevron to exploit shale oil and gas.