Latin America

• Friday, April 27th 2012 - 11:24 UTC

  Piñera announces tax reform to fund an education overhaul that threatens his government

  

  Chile's government on Thursday proposed a sweeping tax reform that raises levies on companies to help fund an education overhaul, as it seeks to quell social protests ahead of local elections seen as a litmus test for the 2013 presidential race.

• Friday, April 27th 2012 - 00:36 UTC

  Foreign Minister Maduro could replace Chavez given his growing fragile health

  

  Venezuelan journalist Nelson Bocaranda said that for the first time President Hugo Chavez is thinking of naming his faithful Foreign Affairs minister Nicolas Maduro as his successor, given the seriousness of the cancer the leader is suffering.

• Thursday, April 26th 2012 - 21:00 UTC

  Chavez is back in Caracas, “with any adverse reaction to the treatment”

  

  Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez returned home after 11 days of cancer treatment in Cuba as the state television showed images of the Head of State chatting with his vice president and other aides after arriving at Caracas' international airport early Thursday.

• Thursday, April 26th 2012 - 06:18 UTC

  IMF tells Latam good days are not forever and should rebuild ‘defence walls’

  

  The IMF warned Latin America on Wednesday that favourable economic conditions are not for ever and called on the region’s countries to “rebuild defences” ahead of an uncertain economic future.

• Thursday, April 26th 2012 - 06:10 UTC

  “Land grabbing” and the concentration process in Mercosur members

  

  The processes of concentration, foreign ownership and land degradation came to be a central concern of supranational bodies and NGOs that warn, like the United Nations Organizations for Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), of the “negative effects of these phenomena on food security, agricultural employment and the development of family farming.”

• Thursday, April 26th 2012 - 05:59 UTC

  Brazil investing heavily in developing Peruvian natural gas sector

  

  Three of Brazil's leading companies said on Wednesday they are increasing investment and exploration in Peru's natural gas sector as the country prepares to build a new pipeline and petrochemical plants.

• Thursday, April 26th 2012 - 05:48 UTC

  Chilean students take to the streets in support of education reform

  

  Tens of thousands of students took to the streets in Chile in support of education reform. Organisers said at least 50.000 marched in the capital Santiago on Wednesday, with police saying 25.000 attended.

• Wednesday, April 25th 2012 - 21:42 UTC

  Energy rich Venezuela starts nationwide power rationing program

  

  Venezuelan authorities announced on Tuesday the resumption of nationwide power rationing plans to cope with the imbalance between supply and demand in the National Electricity System (SEN).

• Wednesday, April 25th 2012 - 21:35 UTC

  High cost and scarcity of electricity threatens Chile’s massive investments in copper industry

  

  The biggest-ever pipeline of copper projects is under threat as Chile, the world's top producer, struggles to contain rising opposition to new power plants.

• Wednesday, April 25th 2012 - 06:36 UTC

  G-20 membership attracts Chile, but not prepared to replace dissident Argentina

  

  Chilean diplomacy has been active preparing for the next G-20 meeting in Mexico which it plans to attend as a “special guest”, but also because the future could hold an even greater prize if Argentina’s erratic behaviour finally is no longer acceptable for the rest of the group’s members.