Latin America

Monday, August 20th 2012 - 04:28 UTC
Assange calls on President Obama to end the witch-hunt against Wikileaks

The founder of WikiLeaks Julian Assange used the balcony of the Ecuadorean embassy on Sunday to berate the United States for threatening freedom of expression and called on President Barack Obama to end what he called a witch-hunt against his whistle-blowing website.
Monday, August 20th 2012 - 01:42 UTC
Ecuador insists in Mercosur interest, but admits it will be a long process

Ecuador has reiterated its intention of joining Mercosur but this needs to be compatible with the rules from the Community of Andean Nations, CAN, (to which it now belongs) said Ecuadorean ambassador Horacio Sevilla Borja.
Saturday, August 18th 2012 - 06:24 UTC
Protesting Chilean students occupy main Santiago university despite arrests

Following over a hundred arrests made on Thursday and clashes with police, students in Santiago occupied on Friday the central building of the University of Chile, the country’s most important higher education facility, as the demands to the government over education reform ensue.
Saturday, August 18th 2012 - 02:02 UTC
OAS decides to hold ministerial meeting on Ecuador-UK conflict next week

The Organization of American States (OAS) has scheduled an emergency meeting of its foreign ministers next week to discuss the differences between Ecuador and Britain over the asylum that Quito granted to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
Friday, August 17th 2012 - 11:20 UTC
Cuban health authorities admit dengue and yellow fever outbreaks

The Cuban Public Health Ministry (MINSAP) this week again called on people's support to help eradicate the proliferation of the dengue transmitter Aedes aegypti mosquito during the summer months, when vector-associated diseases are on the increase.
Friday, August 17th 2012 - 07:16 UTC
Latam support for Ecuador could turn Assange case in another ‘Falklands issue’ for UK

Another major diplomatic conflict between South America and the UK, as with the Falkland Islands’ sovereignty dispute, could turn nasty following Latinamerican strong support for Ecuador and its granting of political asylum to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and London’s explicit determination to deny him a safe conduct and have him extradited to Sweden.
Friday, August 17th 2012 - 06:56 UTC
New Dominican president takes office: “my wife will help you look after the place”

Economist Danilo Medina was sworn in on Thursday as the Dominican Republic's new president and pushed for a pact against poverty as he assumed the post. The economist, who belongs to the Dominican Liberation Party of outgoing President Leonel Fernandez, won May 20 election on a promise to raise the country's standard of living.
Friday, August 17th 2012 - 00:11 UTC
Latam business climate index at 9 months low, approaching “risk of recession”

Latinamerica business climate dropped to its lowest level in nine months with “risk of recession” according to the index elaborated by the Economics Department from the prestigious Brazilian Getulio Vargas Foundation, FGV.
Thursday, August 16th 2012 - 19:52 UTC
Struggle for education reform in Chile: police arrest 70 students occupying schools

Chilean police stormed on Thursday three schools in the centre of Santiago, overtaken by students for the past week, and arrested 70 young people who were involved in the protests demanding education reform.
Thursday, August 16th 2012 - 19:27 UTC
UK determined to extradite Assange in spite of asylum granted by Ecuador

Ecuador has granted asylum to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange two months after he took refuge in its London embassy while fighting extradition from the UK, but Foreign Secretary William Hague said the UK would not allow Assange safe passage out of the country.