Latin America

• Monday, October 26th 2009 - 12:45 UTC

  Chilean fresh fruit exporters suing government for overcharges

  

  In early November a Chilean court will rule on a 108 million US dollars lawsuit brought by 126 Chilean fresh fruit export companies against the nation’s Agriculture and Livestock Service (SAG) agency.

• Monday, October 26th 2009 - 10:14 UTC

  Ecuador overrides 2.000 pharmaceutical patents considered “indispensable”

  

  Ecuador made public on Sunday a presidential decree overriding over 2.000 pharmaceutical patents in order to provide more affordable medicines to the people of Ecuador.

• Monday, October 26th 2009 - 10:12 UTC

  Ten Colombian amateur soccer players killed in Venezuela

  

  Venezuela said on Sunday at least 10 members of an amateur Colombian soccer team had been found dead after being kidnapped on its side of the border. Venezuelan Vice President Ramon Carrizalez told reporters the men were found with bullet wounds in various parts of the western state of Tachira, on the border between the two neighbouring countries.

• Saturday, October 24th 2009 - 18:09 UTC

  Chilean independent hopeful wrecks bipartisan presidential race

  

  Two of Chile’s leading polls show independent presidential candidate Marco Enríquez-Ominami closing in on his rival Senator Eduardo Frei, and faring better in a run-off vote against conservative candidate Sebastián Piñera. However, the polls have widely differing predictions of each candidate’s performance in the first round.

• Saturday, October 24th 2009 - 07:33 UTC

  Argentina, Paraguay pledge to save what is left of the Atlantic Forest

  

  Argentina and Paraguay have made a historic pledge to save one of the world’s most threatened forests. During a special ceremony at the XIIIth World Forestry Congress, the two governments agreed to work towards zero net deforestation in the Atlantic Forest, and to implement a package of measures that include national legislation to enforce those commitments.

• Saturday, October 24th 2009 - 05:38 UTC

  Latam countries have to adapt to a more sluggish global economy, says IMF

  

  Latin American and Caribbean countries are recovering from the global crisis, but at different rates, and growth is expected to return to the region as a whole in 2010, the IMF said in its Regional Economic Outlook released Friday in Sao Paulo.

• Friday, October 23rd 2009 - 12:05 UTC

  Valparaiso expecting fewer cruise ship tourists this summer

  

  With the official tourist season starting on October 31, Chile’s main port Valparaíso tourism leaders say they are expecting 85.000 tourists cruise ship tourists this coming summer season. This figure is a considerable drop from previous years and could result in lower prices for tourism related services.

• Friday, October 23rd 2009 - 11:58 UTC

  Zelaya’s return “Impossible”: no support from Congress, Justice or the military

  

  Former Secretary General from the Organization of American States, (OAS), Cesar Gaviria said it was “impossible” for ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya to be reinstated since he lacks the support from the Supreme Court, Congress and the military

• Thursday, October 22nd 2009 - 10:51 UTC

  Uruguay’s presidential election next Sunday too tight to call

  

  Uruguay’s coming Sunday presidential election is proving to be more nerve-racking and difficult to forecast than anticipated, with the ruling coalition just a few inches away from repeating in spite of the falling performance of the main opposition candidate.

• Thursday, October 22nd 2009 - 08:10 UTC

  Developed countries recovery “rests on growth in Asia and Latinamerica”

  

  The economic recovery of developed countries, including the United States, rests largely on the growth of developing Asian and Latin American countries, the chief economist of Spanish banking group BBVA said this week.