Latin America

• Friday, March 5th 2010 - 06:58 UTC

  Strong 6.3 quake strikes northern Chile; three days national mourning

  

  Chile was shaken Thursday by a strong 6.3-magnitude earthquake that officials said was not an aftershock from the massive quake that killed hundreds and left two million in precarious living conditions last weekend.

• Thursday, March 4th 2010 - 21:18 UTC

  Half of Venezuelan population has “little or no confidence” in President Chavez

  

  Venezuelan voters' confidence in President Hugo Chávez is beginning to wane as a result of the electricity crisis, water rationing, economic measures, decisions limiting private property and attempts at leading the country into a Socialist system.

• Thursday, March 4th 2010 - 21:03 UTC

  Cost of rebuilding Chile estimated in 30 billion US dollars

  

  Chile’s plans to repair the damaged caused by last Saturday’s earthquake are likely to cost the nation an estimated 30 billion US dollars and three to four years work, according to EQECAT, a firm that evaluates catastrophe risk for insurers.

• Thursday, March 4th 2010 - 20:32 UTC

  Chile’s tourism industry fears long term effects of quake and aftershocks

  

  The tourism industry in Chile has been hit hard as travellers cancel trips to the disaster-struck country. Since the 8.8 magnitude earthquake hit Saturday, Andes Hostel in Santiago has received five to six cancellations per day, an employee told the Santiago Times.

• Thursday, March 4th 2010 - 04:46 UTC

  Insulza bids for a second OAS term; US and Venezuela are not convinced

  

  The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, on Wednesday presented his candidacy for re-election in a speech before the Permanent Council in which he offered to continue to be a “partner” in the use of a “modern multilateralism to apply our common agenda, as ambitious as it may be, for the benefit of the people of the Americas.”

• Thursday, March 4th 2010 - 04:31 UTC

  Santiago airport reopens domestic terminal and activity should reach 50%

  

  Passenger traffic at Santiago de Chile’s main airport should reach 50% of normal activity on Thursday following the increase in commercial airlines flight numbers and the reopening of the domestic air terminal, reports the Chilean Civil Aeronautic Agency.

• Thursday, March 4th 2010 - 00:52 UTC

  Venezuelans reluctant to save power and generation approaching critical situation

  

  The water level of Venezuela’s El Gurí dam which provides 75% of the country’s power is rapidly approaching the “critical zone” having dropped to 254 metres, just 14.45 metres from “collapse point” warned President Hugo Chavez.

• Thursday, March 4th 2010 - 00:33 UTC

  Cement maker shares soar in Chilean markets on reconstruction expectations

  

  Chilean cement maker Melon led earnings in the IPSA stock market Wednesday operations with shares soaring 68% on expectations that the company would benefit from reconstruction efforts. Nevertheless, the IPSA select index fell 1.36% to 3708.91.

• Thursday, March 4th 2010 - 00:31 UTC

  Chilean navy accepts responsibility for untimely warning on tsunami

  

  “The epicentre is on land, therefore there should be no tsunami”. That was the information that the Chilean Navy -through its hydro-graphic and oceanographic office “Shoa”- delivered to President Michelle Bachelet in a communication at 05:20 am on Saturday.

• Wednesday, March 3rd 2010 - 07:26 UTC

  Falklands send message of sympathy and support to the Chilean people

  

  The Falkland Islands government sent on Tuesday a message (in English and Spanish) of sympathy and support to the Chilean people “at this terrible time of tragedy”.