Latin America

• Wednesday, June 16th 2010 - 04:24 UTC

  Unasur fearful of overlapping with the Andean Pact and Mercosur

  

  The Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) Secretary General Néstor Kirchner said on Tuesday he hopes for the block to “create profound policies in the region” but without overlapping on other regional organizations such as Mercosur.

• Tuesday, June 15th 2010 - 00:22 UTC

  Ecuador’s new hydrocarbons bill ready for Congress, announces Correa

  

  Ecuador President Rafael Correa said over the weekend that a new hydrocarbons bill is ready and will be sent to the National Assembly. The bill will allow the government to speed the shift from production contracts to service contracts for oil companies operating in Ecuador.

• Monday, June 14th 2010 - 23:39 UTC

  In five years Chileans living more than doubled in five years

  

  While 850,000 Chileans lived abroad in 2005, now, just five years later, Chile’s consulates estimate the number has soared to two million.

• Monday, June 14th 2010 - 23:30 UTC

  UNASUR congressional heads and Sec. Gen Kirchner meet in Ecuador

  

  The South American Nations Union (UNASUR) Congressional heads are holding a meeting in Quito, Ecuador, Monday-Tuesday to outline a new scheme in order to concrete the “the region's congressional integration.”

• Monday, June 14th 2010 - 04:21 UTC

  India’s giant iron ore project in Bolivia stalled; China also interested

  

  Bolivia and India’s Jindal Steel & Power one of the world’s leading steel manufacturers are scheduled to sign an addendum to the contract for the exploitation of the Mutún iron ore reserves with the purpose of unlocking the “lack of investments” according to Mines minister Jose Pimentel.

• Monday, June 14th 2010 - 04:17 UTC

  Cuba for the first time names agronomist as Minister of Agriculture

  

  Cuba has removed General Ulises Rosales Toro as agricultural minister and made him a technical adviser for the island's sugar, agricultural and food production industries. A government statement Saturday characterized the move as a promotion for Rosales. He remains a member of the powerful Politburo.

• Monday, June 14th 2010 - 04:15 UTC

  Santos is forecasted to win next Sunday by a wide margin

  

  Colombian incumbent presidential candidate Juan Manuel Santos is poised for an overwhelming victory in next Sunday’s runoff according to the latest public opinion polls published Sunday in Bogotá’s main newspapers.

• Monday, June 14th 2010 - 04:08 UTC

  Colombian forces liberate two top police forces help as hostages for 12 years

  

  The Colombian military on Sunday rescued Gen. Luis Mendieta and Col. Enrique Murillo, two top national police officers held by the FARC guerrillas for nearly 12 years, President Alvaro Uribe announced.

• Sunday, June 13th 2010 - 03:23 UTC

  Mrs. Clinton promises to sponsor US/Colombia trade agreement

  

  US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton promised this week after meeting with Colombian president Alvaro Uribe that when she returns to Washington she will begin “a very intensive effort to try to obtain the votes to get the free trade agreement with Colombia finally ratified”.

• Sunday, June 13th 2010 - 01:20 UTC

  In the even of Vatican top official visit, Cuba frees paraplegic political dissident

  

  The Cuban government has freed a jailed dissident and moved six others to jails closer to their homes. Senior Catholic clergymen had urged Cuban president Raul Castro to release Ariel Sigler, 47, on humanitarian grounds.