Latin America

• Wednesday, May 5th 2010 - 01:27 UTC

  Cuba Fires Ministers, Considers Opening Sugar Industry to Foreign Investors

  

  Cuban President Raúl Castro replaced two high-level government ministers citing errors and incompetence, in the latest round of replacements at top-level government posts. There are also signs that Cuba might turn the sugar industry to foreign investment.

• Tuesday, May 4th 2010 - 19:20 UTC

  IMF Says Latam Recovering Faster than Expected but With “Bubble” Risks

  

  The recovery in Latin America and the Caribbean is advancing faster than anticipated but at different speeds across countries, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in its latest Regional Economic Outlook-Western Hemisphere report, which was launched Tuesday in Montevideo, Uruguay.

• Tuesday, May 4th 2010 - 18:58 UTC

  Kirchner Gets UNASUR Job; Mujica Admits “Political Cost” but Privileges Unity

  

  Former Argentine president Nestor Kirchner was sworn Tuesday as Secretary General of the Union of South American Nations, UNASUR, following the consensus reached among the twelve country members overcoming differences of previous meetings.

• Tuesday, May 4th 2010 - 05:20 UTC

  Almost Half of 43.7 Million Colombians Live Below the Poverty Line

  

  More than 20 million Colombians, 45.5% of the population live below the poverty line and 16.6% suffer extreme poverty, according to an official report released by the country’s statistics agency, DANE. The country’s total population is 43.7 million.

• Tuesday, May 4th 2010 - 05:06 UTC

  In First Three Days Chile’s Pavilion at Shanghai Expo Received 46.000 Visitors

  

  The Shanghai Expo in China officially opened its doors to the public on Saturday and Chile is one of more than 200 countries and companies showing their wares during the six-month event.

• Tuesday, May 4th 2010 - 04:26 UTC

  Bolivia, Chile, Argentina and Peru Coordinate Mine Clearance Activities

  

  Defence officials from Bolivia, Chile, Peru and Argentina will be participating in a high level meeting to coordinate efforts for the elimination of anti-personnel mines which still remain in border fields of the four countries involved.

• Tuesday, May 4th 2010 - 02:31 UTC

  Brazilian Tourists Fully Book Chilean Ski Resorts for Winter Holidays

  

  Brazilians are hanging up their swimsuits and donning snowsuits for this year’s winter ski season in Chile. Ski resorts have built strong campaigns with Chilean operators, agencies and media to increase visits from Brazil to the country’s ski slopes.

• Tuesday, May 4th 2010 - 01:26 UTC

  Kirchner Receives Unanimous Support to Become UNASUR Secretary General

  

  Former Argentine president Nestor Kirchner received Monday the unanimous support from country members of the Union of South American Nations, UNASUR, to become the organization’s secretary general, overcoming differences of previous meetings.

• Monday, May 3rd 2010 - 20:48 UTC

  Mockus and his “Green Tide” Upsetting Uribe-Santos Continuity in Colombia

  

  With less than a month for the Colombian presidential election the campaign has reaffirmed the surprising advance of what is known as the “green tide” of hopeful Antanas Mockus, who according to the latest public opinion polls figures ahead of incumbent candidate and former Defence Minister Juan Manuel Santos.

• Monday, May 3rd 2010 - 08:07 UTC

  Cuba’s May First Message: “Hard Work and Sacrifice” to Save the Revolution

  

  Cubans were called “to work harder and sacrifice” in support of the Cuban revolution and the island’s Socialist model during Saturday May first International Workers’ Day.