Latin America

• Friday, August 3rd 2012 - 22:34 UTC

  Brazilians trust in future of their country, their jobs and President Rousseff

  

  President Dilma Rousseff continues to enjoy high popularity as Brazilian consumers sound very optimistic about the future of their country and trust they can hold on to their jobs despite the recent economic slowdown.

• Friday, August 3rd 2012 - 22:11 UTC

  Uruguay’s July inflation record low on government successful electricity saving campaign

  

  Uruguay’s annual consumer-price inflation dropped in July to 0.27% the lowest in 58 years, accumulating 7.48% in the last twelve months (down from 8% in June), and 4.41% in the first seven months of 2012.

• Friday, August 3rd 2012 - 08:36 UTC

  CFK defends Argentina’s economic model and capacity to honour debts

  

  While addressing the nation from the Buenos Aires stock exchange floor, Argentine President Cristina Fernández strongly defended the policy of drastically cutting debts, which guarantees “greater independence”, and of stimulating the economy because only with resources can debts be paid, “the dead don’t pay debts”.

• Friday, August 3rd 2012 - 08:20 UTC

  Chavez claims Paraguayan senators tried to blackmail him to vote for Venezuela in Mercosur

  

  President Hugo Chavez said that the incorporation of Venezuela to Mercosur was “exemplary” because it never yielded to “blackmail” from the Paraguayan extreme right and revealed that he met with Paraguayan Senator Lino Oviedo, considered the mastermind behind those attempts.

• Friday, August 3rd 2012 - 07:52 UTC

  Peruvian police seize 2.3m counterfeit US dollar notes; so far this year 17m

  

  Police in Peru have seized 2.3m dollars in counterfeit notes. Prosecution said the notorious Quispe Rodriguez family clan is behind the production of fake currency. Peruvian police chief, Raul Salazar, said the gang was planning to smuggle the counterfeit 50 dollar bills into the United States, hidden inside Peruvian souvenirs.

• Friday, August 3rd 2012 - 07:46 UTC

  State of emergency in south Peru to protect mining projects from guerrillas

  

  Peru’s government has extended a state of emergency for 60 days in several districts of south-central regions because of the presence of the guerrilla group Shining Path remnants.

• Friday, August 3rd 2012 - 07:38 UTC

  Venezuela fishing vessels caught in French Guiana waters will be destroyed

  

  Two Venezuelan fishing vessels were caught illegally operating n French Guiana waters by a French Navy patrol and will be destroyed as is normal procedure in the territory, according to Cayenne media.

• Friday, August 3rd 2012 - 07:24 UTC

  Colombian court ruling favours indigenous people; government to appeal

  

  Colombian Defence minister said on Thursday the Constitutional Court’s decision to order armed forces to leave indigenous territories in south-eastern Colombia will not affect military presence in the volatile south-western Cauca department.

• Friday, August 3rd 2012 - 07:18 UTC

  Ecuador president limits publicity to “friendly” media and raids magazine office

  

  The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) described as “contrary to the principles of freedom of expression and press freedom” an order by the Government of Ecuador to withdraw official advertising from independent news media.

• Friday, August 3rd 2012 - 07:10 UTC

  Bolivia seizes silver and indium mine operated by Canadian firm

  

  Confirming the growing trend in several South American countries, Bolivia expropriated a silver and indium mine operated by a local unit of Canadian firm South American Silver, a move criticized by Ottawa and likely to scare off foreign investors.