Latin America

Monday, May 13th 2013 - 04:21 UTC
Maduro trying to deal with his main challenges: food scarcity and inflation

President Nicolas Maduro accused Lorenzo Mendoza, owner of Empresas Polar SA, Venezuela’s largest privately held company, of reducing food production and creating shortages amid record scarcity and the region’s fastest inflation close to 30%.
Monday, May 13th 2013 - 04:08 UTC
German president in Brazil to promote trade and investments

German President Joachim Gauck arrived on Sunday to Brazil with economic and trade issues as the centre of his visit. The trip to Sao Paulo marks the start of the Year of Germany in Brazil, which Gauck's predecessor Christian Wulff agreed on with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff in May 2011.
Saturday, May 11th 2013 - 10:35 UTC
UK ambassador praises Chilean judicial system in case involving death of British citizen in 1973

This week a Chilean court found two retired naval officers guilty in connection with the kidnapping, torture and murder of a Chilean-British citizen in September 1973; UK Ambassador Jon Benjamin made a statement about the verdicts in trial of those accused.
Friday, May 10th 2013 - 07:54 UTC
Change of policy? Obama hosts Chile and Peru presidents; Biden visits Brazil and Colombia

The White House announced that Peruvian President Ollanta Humala and Chile’s President Sebastian Piñera will travel to Washington in June and meet with President Barack Obama. The White House also said that Vice President Joe Biden’s next week will visit Brazil and Colombia with a stop in Trinidad and Tobago.
Friday, May 10th 2013 - 07:44 UTC
Brazil endorses Maduro and pledged support to develop agriculture and infrastructure

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro got strong backing from regional heavyweight Brazil on a tour of Mercosur allies to cement his legitimacy as political heir to the late Hugo Chavez.
Friday, May 10th 2013 - 07:40 UTC
Paraguay requests Pacific Alliance observer status; moves ‘beyond Mercosur’

Paraguay has made official its request to become an observer of the Pacific Alliance, (Colombia, Chile, Mexico and Peru), as part of its policy to strengthen relations with other countries that goes beyond Mercosur and has proven very successful for the exchange of experiences.
Friday, May 10th 2013 - 07:35 UTC
Paraguay discussing inviting Maduro to the inauguration of president-elect Cartes

Paraguayan president elect Horacio Cartes transition team said that Venezuela should be present at the inauguration ceremony of the new head of state scheduled for 15 August, despite the ‘current circumstances’ of bilateral relations.
Friday, May 10th 2013 - 07:13 UTC
Moody’s says Uruguay banking system outlook is stable; strong economic growth and domestic demand

The outlook the Uruguayan banking system is stable, based on expectations that continued economic growth and favourable labour market conditions will sustain loan growth and banks' profitability, says Moody's Investors Service in the report “Banking System Outlook: Uruguay.”
Friday, May 10th 2013 - 06:51 UTC
The Economist: Brazil isn’t growing, so why are Brazilians so happy?

In the decade after Jim O’Neill of Goldman Sachs coined the acronym “BRICs” in 2001, grouping together four big countries with the potential for sustained growth, the “B”, Brazil, really put itself on the economic map.
Friday, May 10th 2013 - 06:44 UTC
Brazil reports great interest in the coming 11th bidding hydrocarbons round

The director of Brazil's Agencia Nacional do Petroleo (ANP) reports significant interest from operators in Brazil's upcoming 11th bidding round as the country pursues its plans to double its oil and natural gas production. The bidding round is the first since December 2008 and the first under the nation's new hydrocarbon law.