Latin America

• Tuesday, January 8th 2013 - 07:19 UTC

  Chavez “virtual taking office” next Thursday in Caracas with leaders from friendly countries

  

  The Venezuelan government is organizing a massive turnout for Thursday January 10 in support of re-re-elected president Hugo Chavez with the attendance of several Latinamerican leaders in what has been described as a “virtual taking office” ceremony.

• Tuesday, January 8th 2013 - 06:58 UTC

  Chile government spending rate below the economy’s performance for second year running

  

  Government expenditure in Chile expanded an estimated 5% last year while the economy grew 5.5%, making it the second consecutive year in which the economy outperforms outlays.

• Tuesday, January 8th 2013 - 00:49 UTC

  Cristina Fernandez flies Jan 10 to Havana in support of Chavez and Maduro

  

  The Argentine government confirmed on Monday that President Cristina Fernandez would be flying on Thursday to Cuba to visit her Venezuelan peer Hugo Chavez, fighting for his life after a fourth cancer surgery with complications, and on the day which he should be taking office after October’s re-re-election.

• Tuesday, January 8th 2013 - 00:21 UTC

  Venezuelan Catholic Church calls for constitutional respect on inauguration day

  

  Venezuela’s Catholic Church issued a veiled warning to the government on Monday against overriding the constitution by delaying cancer-stricken Hugo Chavez's inauguration for a new term as president.

• Monday, January 7th 2013 - 13:03 UTC

  Piñera after political consensus to declare state of emergency in Mapuche territory

  

  President Sebastián Piñera is considering declaring the state of emergency in the Araucanía region, in southern Chile, where six arson attacks which cost the lives of two people took place since Friday, Interior Minister Andrés Chadwick said.

• Saturday, January 5th 2013 - 05:59 UTC

  Lowering the price of power, Uruguay ends 2012 with an inflation of 7.48%

  

  Consumer prices in Uruguay ended the year at 7.48% after recording the lowest December percentage in forty years: a negative 0.73%. However analysts and consultants anticipate that inflation in the first quarter of 2013 will remain above an annualized 8%.

• Saturday, January 5th 2013 - 05:41 UTC

  Blackouts and agriculture collapse forecasted in drought stricken north-east Brazil

  

  North-east Brazil is suffering its worst drought in decades, threatening hydro-power supplies in an area prone to blackouts and potentially slowing economic growth in one of the country's emerging agricultural frontiers.

• Saturday, January 5th 2013 - 05:35 UTC

  Maduro practically admits Chavez won’t be in Caracas for the January 10 oath

  

  Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez' formal swearing-in for a new six-year term scheduled for January 10 can be postponed if he is unable to attend due to his struggle to recover from cancer surgery, his vice-president said on Friday.

• Friday, January 4th 2013 - 23:23 UTC

  Pure adrenaline: world’s most extreme 15-day competition takes off in Lima

  

  Competitors are putting the final touches to their motorcycles, quad bikes, cars and trucks ahead of the start of one of the world’s most extreme races. The Dakar Rally returns once again to South America, beginning in Lima, capital of Peru on Saturday January 5, before making its way to Santiago de Chile for a grand finale outside La Moneda on January 20.

• Friday, January 4th 2013 - 22:15 UTC

  EU expects to advance trade talks with Mercosur late this month in Chile

  

  The European Union expects to advance cooperation and trade discussions with Mercosur late this month in Chile in the sidelines of the EU/Celac (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States), said EU ambassador in Chile, Rafael Dochao Moreno.