Brazilian diplomacy is working on a “non aggression” pact which it will propose to Colombia and other regional governments following on the military agreement signed by Bogotá with Washington and which has caused much concern in Brazil according to the Sao Paulo press.
United States will recognize the Honduran elections results regardless of whether former President Manuel Zelaya is returned to office and regardless of whether the vote on reinstatement takes place before or after November 29th, according to Republican Senator Jim DeMint who claims he was given guarantees to that effect by the US State Department.
Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez warned he will go after all those industries and factories private or government managed, that waste power and/or water.
Brazil is demanding that ousted Honduran president Manuel Zelaya be reinstated before the scheduled presidential election of November 29th, according to government sources quoted in the Sao Paulo and Brasilia press.
Magallanes Region, in the extreme south of Chile, economic performance from 2004 to 2008 has been one of the worst of the country according to the regional report from Chile’s Central Bank. The region experienced in the period a 1.3% GDP contraction, the only negative result of all Chilean regions.
Colombian opposition groups have reacted angrily after details of a controversial military deal with the US were made public.
The US dollar fell to an exchange rate of Chilean Pesos 528 on Tuesday, the lowest rate since September 2008, a tendency confirmed in Wednesday’s trading. Since the beginning of 2009, the dollar has fallen 113 Chilean pesos.
By Michael Magan (*)
On economic policy, Latin American leaders face a basic choice: Adopt old style government-heavy populism championed by Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, or the market-friendly reforms instituted in countries like Brazil, Peru, and Chile?
Four of the six candidates for Honduras presidential election next November 29th signed Tuesday the social pact to strengthen democracy, peace and freedom, one of several steps agreed last week to end the four months institutional crisis of the Central American country, according to political sources.
Peru launched in Argentina its peace, security and cooperation initiative to reduce arms purchases in the region and to lower expenditure on military hardware.