Latin America

• Wednesday, May 5th 2010 - 06:43 UTC

  Néstor Kirchner as UNASUR Secretary General is an “Embarrassment”

  

  Néstor Kirchner's appointment as UNASUR Secretary-General is “an embarrassment” because “he doesn't believe in dialogue or diplomacy, or the organization as a whole”, claimed dissident Argentine lawmaker Eduardo Amadeo, interviewed by the Buenos Aires Herald.

• Wednesday, May 5th 2010 - 05:58 UTC

  Chile Moves to Regulate and Permit Cultivation of GM Crops

  

  Chilean Agriculture Ministry José Antonio Galilea announced this week plans to introduce legislation to regulate and permit the cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops in Chile.

• Wednesday, May 5th 2010 - 02:54 UTC

  Argentina with the Highest GDP Per Capita PPP in 2009

  

  Argentina became the richest country in Latin America in 2009 as measured by GDP per capita purchasing power parity, PPP, according to a Latin Business Chronicle analysis based of new data from the International Monetary Fund.

• 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.