Latin America

Thursday, August 9th 2012 - 06:18 UTC
Seventeen nations in military exercise for the protection of the Panama Canal

This year’s PANAMAX exercise kicked off on Monday involving representatives from 17 hemispheric countries with the purpose of practicing methods of protecting the safe passage of commercial traffic through the Panama Canal while ensuring its neutrality and respecting national sovereignty.
Wednesday, August 8th 2012 - 18:21 UTC
Paraguay to appeal Mercosur sanctions before the The Hague Court of Justice

The Paraguayan government had decided to appeal before the International Court of Justice in The Hague the suspension imposed on Paraguay by the governments of Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay as a sanction for the removal of Fernando Lugo as president of the country, last June 22.
Wednesday, August 8th 2012 - 18:16 UTC
Panama Canal unveils new tolls structure and increases some categories

Following the recommendation from the Board of Directors of the Panama Canal Authority (ACP), the Panamanian government approved this week the proposal to restructure the Panama Canal's pricing system.
Wednesday, August 8th 2012 - 07:12 UTC
Unasur special committee presents this week report on Paraguay’s political situation

The special Unasur commission that is monitoring and following political events in Paraguay since the removal of Fernando Lugo as president and his replacement by Federico Franco, is expected to make a first presentation next Thursday said Peruvian Foreign affairs minister Rafael Roncagliolo.
Wednesday, August 8th 2012 - 06:51 UTC
Chile announces plan to improve living conditions of the indigenous Mapuche peoples

In a special cabinet meeting last Friday, Chilean President Sebastián Piñera proposed a series of measures aimed at improving infrastructure and human investment in the south-central Araucanía region.
Tuesday, August 7th 2012 - 15:24 UTC
Norwegian organization to help with demining in the Chile-Peru border

Chilean and Peruvian authorities meet Friday in Lima with the humanitarian organization Norwegian People’s Aid which will be responsible for the demining of the two countries border area, announced Peruvian Foreign minister Rafael Roncaglio.
Tuesday, August 7th 2012 - 08:33 UTC
Uruguay reacts with silence to repeated Argentine provocations

The Uruguayan government said on Monday there will be no public statements on the latest “situations” with Argentina, and Uruguay will keep to what was agreed at presidential level during the last (31 July) Mercosur extraordinary meeting in Brasilia.
Monday, August 6th 2012 - 23:24 UTC
Poor ranking for Uruguay’s main university; Brazil and Chile top of Latam list

Uruguay’s government-financed national university came up in position 79 in the QS academic quality international ranking of the top 100 Latinamerican universities. Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia were far better ranked than Uruguay’s Universidad de la Republica, Udelar, which has caused deep concern among government officials.
Monday, August 6th 2012 - 22:02 UTC
Dollar deposits and loans erosion in Argentina as restrictions become stricter

The strict and tightening US dollar purchase restrictions imposed in Argentina were clearly exposed in the banking system dollar deposits and loans during the last week of July when they dropped 3%, having accumulated 43% in the last few weeks, according to official data from the central bank.
Monday, August 6th 2012 - 21:30 UTC
Abuse of Chilean indigenous peoples questioned by human rights organizations

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) spoke out against human rights violations in the Araucanía region in south-central Chile on Thursday, calling on the government to investigate the chain of events last week resulting in the injuries of two minors by police bullets.