Latin America

• Friday, March 12th 2010 - 23:30 UTC

  Environment degradation threatens Haiti’s recovery process warns UN

  

  The United Nations Environment Program warns Haiti's recovery process will be greatly constrained if the environmental degradation suffered during the catastrophic earthquake is not adequately taken care of.

• Friday, March 12th 2010 - 23:27 UTC

  Cuba accuses Europe of “fabricating patriots out of criminals”

  

  The Cuban government again on Friday blasted the European Parliament for fabricating “patriots among mercenaries and criminals” and for supporting “subversion”, as the regime of the Fidel and Raul Castro brothers calls dissidents.

• Friday, March 12th 2010 - 23:25 UTC

  German Left leader warns on “extreme presidentialism” in Socialist Latinamerica

  

  Gregor Gysi the leader of Germany’s Left considers a serious problem the extreme “presidentialism” of the new left wing governments in Latinamerica and said Cuba was on the wrong track if it believes social justice demands sacrificing liberties.

• Friday, March 12th 2010 - 04:57 UTC

  Tremors cut short Piñera inauguration and decide his agenda

  

  It was to be a grand celebration, the conservatives had defeated the left leaning ruling coalition that has dominated Chilean politics since 1990 and they would be returning to office after more than half a century. But the party was not to be.

• Friday, March 12th 2010 - 01:03 UTC

  Forbes list includes 36 Latinamericans with fortunes above a billion dollars

  

  A total of 36 Latinamericans figure in the Forbes list of men with fortunes greater than a billion dollars, like the Mexican Carlos Slim, the new Chilean President Sebastián Piñera, and the Brazilian Eike Batista, as well as drug lord Joaquín Guzmán Loera, “El Chapo,” informed Forbes magazine.

• Friday, March 12th 2010 - 00:56 UTC

  Piñera names tourism entrepreneur governor of Magallanes region

  

  Magallanes region in the extreme south of Chile has a new provincial governor, Liliana Kusanovic Marusic, a well known tourism entrepreneur in Punta Arenas who last year was distinguished among the top 100 “Women Leaders” of Chile.

• Friday, March 12th 2010 - 00:08 UTC

  “God is Bolivarian” and will bring rain to Venezuela’s power stations, says Chavez

  

  Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez faces a major power shortage that could severely damage the country’s economy and plunge his popularity, but he is confident sufficient rainfall is on the way to fill the lake of a crucial dam because “God is Bolivarian”.

• Thursday, March 11th 2010 - 23:41 UTC

  EU Parliament condemns “avoidable and cruel” death of Cuban political prisoner

  

  The European Parliament adopted a resolution on Thursday strongly condemning the “avoidable and cruel” death of Cuban political prisoner Orlando Zapata and voicing its concern at the “alarming state” of another prisoner, Guillermo Fariñas.

• Thursday, March 11th 2010 - 04:46 UTC

  Conservative Piñera takes office with 59% of Chileans hopeful

  

  Chilean president elect Sebastián Piñera who takes office Thursday said the moment has come “to dry tears” and face the emergency in reference to the quake and tsunami follow-up which last Saturday devastated central Chile.

• Thursday, March 11th 2010 - 04:42 UTC

  Lula da Silva entangled in controversy over Cuban political prisoners

  

  Brazilian president Lula da Silva has become entangled in a controversy for having compared Cuban political prisoners with jailed criminals and was even severely criticized by members of his own party.