Latin America

• Friday, May 14th 2010 - 02:43 UTC

  Chilean Household Debt Increases with a Larger Portion of Non-Bank Personal Loans

  

  A recent study from the Central Bank of Chile written by economists José Miguel Matus, Nancy Silva, Alejandra Marinovic y Karla Flores found that Chilean household debt increased from 23% of GDP in 2000 to 39.1% in 2009.

• Friday, May 14th 2010 - 01:51 UTC

  Violence and Lack of Guarantees for Latam Journalists Exposed at OAS

  

  The Inter American Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression said that increasing violence against journalists and the impunity associated with these crimes are one of the main challenges of the Latin America and Caribbean region.

• Friday, May 14th 2010 - 01:46 UTC

  Outbreak of Tropical Parasite Disease Threatens Metropolitan Caracas

  

  Venezuelan Health and Social Protection Minister Luis Reyes confirmed 15 cases of Chagas disease in the capital Caracas, following an outbreak in the popular quarters of the city. However Minister Reyes flatly discarded the word “epidemics”.

• Friday, May 14th 2010 - 01:22 UTC

  Indian Sub-Submersible Gas Rig Sinks off the Coast of Venezuela

  

  Aban Offshore (BOM:523204), India’s largest offshore drilling and oil field services provider, suffered a major setback on Thursday, when its gas platform Pearl sunk off the coast of Venezuela. This was one of Aban’s biggest money spinning rig earning 358,000 US dollars a day.

• Thursday, May 13th 2010 - 21:09 UTC

  Korean Jigger Operating in Falklands’ Waters to be Broken Up in Punta Arenas

  

  Chilean authorities in the extreme south of the country have decided to deny port access in Punta Arenas to a Korean flagged jigger which arrived from the Falkland Islands having suffered extensive damage following a fire in the engine room. Her fate seems to be breaking her up.

• Thursday, May 13th 2010 - 10:58 UTC

  Bolivian Presidency Buys Manchester United Dassault Falcon Craft

  

  The Bolivian government confirmed this week that it has bought a luxury airplane model Dassault Falcon 900Ex Easy that originally belonged to Manchester United. The admission came in the midst of growing social unrest to protest for a higher national minimum wage.

• Thursday, May 13th 2010 - 10:53 UTC

  UNASUR Closer to its Formal Existence: Peru Ratifies Founding Charter

  

  Peru became the fifth country to ratify the Union of South American Nations founding treaty, which means the organization is now only four short for the nine to become legally effective.

• Wednesday, May 12th 2010 - 21:57 UTC

  Santos Promises More Uribe and Retakes Lead in Colombian Presidential Campaign

  

  With less than three weeks to Colombia’s May 30 presidential election, the incumbent candidate Juan Manuel Santos has recovered lost ground and the surprise hopeful Antanas Mockus with his “green tide” has fallen back with opinion polls showing a technical draw.

• Wednesday, May 12th 2010 - 19:43 UTC

  Mexicans and Argentines Among the Happiest People, said Index

  

  Mexicans and Argentines are among the happiest people, according to a Happiness Barometer Index tested in 16 countries which also confirmed that face-to-face time spent with friends and family makes people happier than socializing online.

• Wednesday, May 12th 2010 - 18:44 UTC

  Colombia the Rising Star of the Oil Industry in South America

  

  Colombian Oil Company Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) said this week it broke an 11-year-old export record in April, selling 403,510 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil and refined products to foreign clients.