Latin America

• Thursday, May 17th 2012 - 10:30 UTC

  Thousands of students take to the streets of Santiago calling for a fairer and quality education

  

  Tens of thousands of students demonstrated on the streets of Chile's capital Wednesday seeking an overhaul of what they call one of the world's priciest and most unfair educational systems.

• Thursday, May 17th 2012 - 10:17 UTC

  Argentina en route to become the “Greece of Latin America” claim Chilean exporters

  

  Argentina could rapidly become the “Greece of Latin America” given the trade restrictions it has imposed born out of the lack of sufficient hard currency to face its international commitments, according to Chile’s Manufacturing and Services Exporters Association, Roberto Fantuzzi.

• Wednesday, May 16th 2012 - 01:27 UTC

  Brazilian discomfort: ends automatic import licences for Argentine perishables

  

  Brazil this week escalated a growing trade fight with Argentina by increasing the bureaucratic obstacles for importing about 10 perishable products including apples, raisins, and potatoes, a senior Brazilian government official was quoted by the media.

• Wednesday, May 16th 2012 - 01:15 UTC

  Colombia/US free trade agreement expected to create 100.000 jobs per year

  

  The long-delayed free-trade deal between Colombia and the United States came into force on Tuesday, a step that should boost the country’s exports and foreign investment, President Juan Manuel Santos said.

• Wednesday, May 16th 2012 - 00:59 UTC

  Deadly attack against former minister in the heart of Bogotá kills 2, injures dozens

  

  A bomb targeting a hard-line former Colombian interior minister killed two of his bodyguards and injured at least 31 others in the heart of Bogotá’s uptown commercial district Tuesday, authorities said.

• Monday, May 14th 2012 - 18:29 UTC

  China opens its market to Chilean beef and lamb plus avocados and berries

  

  China has opened its market to Chilean meat, avocados and blueberries following the visit of Agriculture minister Luis Mayol who anticipated further discussions for the sale of live cattle and dairy produce.

• Monday, May 14th 2012 - 05:21 UTC

  HSBC reports sale of affiliates in four countries to GNB Colombia for US 400m

  

  HSBC reported the sale of its affiliates in Uruguay, Colombia, Peru and Paraguay to the Colombian group Gilinski, an operation involving 400 million dollars, of which 80 million for the Montevideo assets.

• Monday, May 14th 2012 - 05:15 UTC

  Former Brazilian president wins Human Sciences Prize for lifetime achievement

  

  Fernando Henrique Cardoso, a Brazilian scholar turned president, has won the $1 million John W. Kluge Prize for Lifetime Achievement in the Human Sciences, the United States Library of Congress plans to announce Monday.

• Monday, May 14th 2012 - 04:34 UTC

  Chavez one man show to convince followers his doing fine

  

  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez strode, sang and gave a rousing speech on Friday in a careful show of vigour after his latest cancer treatment in Cuba fanned rumours he was dying five months before an election.

• Monday, May 14th 2012 - 04:20 UTC

  Unasur defence spending one of the lowest in the world: average 0.91% of GDP

  

  Union of South American Nations (Unasur) member states released a report detailing each country’s military spending. Ministers and diplomats from the twelve nation regional bloc also pledged further military integration, proposing the creation of a Citizen Security Council.