
As of next 6 November Chile’s port cities will display their best since on that date the official 2012/13 cruise season begins which extends until mid April and the country has great expectations of recovering a leading position in the region.

More than 100.000 people gathered in Caracas in support of Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Henrique Capriles. He criticised President Hugo Chavez for what he called a long list of unfulfilled promises and demanded justice for three opposition activists killed during a rally in Barinas state on Saturday.

President Dilma Rousseff said British interest in Brazil had come at the right time after her government announced last month a 66 billion dollars investment in road and railway building as part of a massive plan to upgrade her country's dilapidated infrastructure, which includes modernizing ports and airports.

On what he described as the “first and last time” he will address the United Nations General Assembly, the President of Paraguay, Federico Franco, affirmed that his country will not abide by any infringement on its sovereignty.

Foreign trade in Latin America and the Caribbean will suffer from the economic slowdown that started in the second half of 2011. The value of regional exports will increase by 4% in 2012, whereas imports will grow 3% - according to estimates presented in the new Economic Commission for Latin America study released on Thursday.

Chilean fruit exports to China have experienced a great increase in recent years having jumped 35% in 2011 (over 2010), with a value of 438 million dollars, according to statistics provided to the Chilean Ministry of Agriculture, which place Chile as one of the main fruit providers from the southern hemisphere.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said on Wednesday before the UN General Assembly he is cautiously optimistic that his government can reach a peace deal with Marxist rebels. Santos added he wants to return to New York next year and announce that his conflict-battered country has signed a peace agreement.

Venezuela will hike the amount of oil it is sending to India's Reliance Industries and signed a new 15-year supply contract with the company, Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez announced this week.

Venezuela’s Bolivarian Armed Forces, FANB, said they are committed to respect “the decision of the people” in the coming presidential election of 7 October but at the same time demanded respect for the institution.

Paraguayan president Federico Franco accused the Venezuelan regime of Hugo Chavez of ‘direct and malicious’ involvement in his country’s affairs in support of a ‘terrorist and criminal’ gang, the Popular Army of Paraguay, EPP, which has committed kidnappings, assaults and killings.