Latin America

• Monday, April 8th 2013 - 00:45 UTC

  Falklands’ delegation meets in Panama with keen interest in referendum results

  

  Panama City. (Special for MercoPress). As part of an on-going tour of Central America, Falkland Islands lawmaker Dr Barry Elsby and young Islander Krysteen Ormond spent four days in Panama building links and sharing the results of the Islands’ historic March 10/1 referendum.

• Monday, April 8th 2013 - 00:22 UTC

  Brazil new defence purchases policy based on ‘geopolitical interests and technology transfer’

  

  Brazil’s defence purchases mainly arms will be ruled by strategic priorities such as geopolitical interests and technology transfers and not only price, according to a decree published in the Official Gazette from the Union.

• Saturday, April 6th 2013 - 04:14 UTC

  “Nothing or nobody” can separate Argentina and Uruguay, Mujica tells the world

  

  Despite Uruguayan President Jose Mujica had anticipated he would give no further explanations about his at least controversial remarks about Argentina’s presidencial couple, Cristina and Néstor Kirchner, the Uruguayan leader on Friday midday stated in his daily broadcast that “nothing or nobody” could separate the brotherly nations.

• Saturday, April 6th 2013 - 03:50 UTC

  Brazil claims trade situation with Argentina is “less than satisfactory”

  

  Brazil admitted that the trade situation with Argentina is “less than satisfactory”, given the ongoing barriers and restrictions imposed by Buenos Aires and revealed that the bilateral trade balance is now inclined in favour of its southern neighbour and Mercosur associate.

• Friday, April 5th 2013 - 07:18 UTC

  Argentina strongly protests President Mujica remarks about Nestor and Cristina Kirchner

  

  Uruguayan president José Mujica’s controversial statements caught on an open microphone referred to President Cristina Fernandez and her late husband Nestor Kirchner, triggered a strong response from the Argentine government saying that such comments are “unacceptable, denigrating and offend the memory of a dead person”.

• Thursday, April 4th 2013 - 22:24 UTC

  “The old lady is worse than the cross-eyed man” says President Mujica

  

  Uruguay’s President Jose Mujica, speaking without realizing a microphone was on, referred to Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner as that ‘old lady’ saying she is “worse” than her late husband and predecessor, Nestor Kirchner.

• Thursday, April 4th 2013 - 07:59 UTC

  Argentina again this year will use reserves to comply with debt commitments

  

  Argentina will use 2.3 billion dollars of central bank reserves this year to meet payments to international financing organizations and on its official bilateral debt, according to the Official Gazette.

• Thursday, April 4th 2013 - 07:07 UTC

  On Mine Awareness Day, OAS praises Colombia, Peru and Ecuador

  

  On the International Mine Awareness Day (April 4), the Organization of American States highlighted the successful humanitarian demining efforts throughout the Americas. National authorities in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru are to be commended for increasing awareness of the dangers posed by landmines, for reducing the number of landmine victims, and for assuming responsibility for their national programs, said OAS.

• Wednesday, April 3rd 2013 - 23:50 UTC

  Falkland Islands’ success in Colombia: debate at leading university and speech before Congress

  

  A Falkland Islands delegation concluded this week a very successful visit to Colombia where they not only met with local authorities and lawmakers but also addressed the Lower House of Congress and were able to express loud and clear the Islanders’ message born out of the recent referendum in which they overwhelmingly voted to remain a British Overseas Territory.

• Wednesday, April 3rd 2013 - 07:08 UTC

  Falklands’ lawmaker regrets South American leaders take for granted Argentina’s version of events

  

  Falklands’ lawmaker Gavin Short regretted on Tuesday in Bolivia that the governments of South America take for granted the Argentine version of the conflict between Argentina and the UK over the Islands sovereignty without ever having listened to the other side.