Latin America

Wednesday, January 10th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Venezuela's nationalization plans spook markets and investors

Investors scared by President Hugo Chavez's nationalization plans rushed to sell off Venezuelan stocks Tuesday, while U.S. officials and financial analysts warned that increasing government control in the power, telecom and oil sectors is a mistake.
Wednesday, January 10th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
OAS members support Insulza; Chavez wants an apology

Organization of American States Secretary General Jose Migule Insulza received on Tuesday full support from country members' representatives during a debate promoted by Venezuela following the controversy with Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez.
Wednesday, January 10th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Chile stamps definitive 33% tariff on Argentine wheat flour

Chile decided on Tuesday to increase to 33%, and during three months, safeguard tariffs on Argentina wheat flour, reported in Santiago the Minister of Agriculture Alvaro Rojas.
Wednesday, January 10th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Chavez promises six years of “Socialism or death”

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was sworn in for another six years on Wednesday, promising to press ahead with a sweeping socialist agenda: “Fatherland. Socialism or death ÃÂ¢€” I swear it” said Chavez, holding his right hand in the air as he invoked Cuban leader Fidel Castro's famous call to arms.
Wednesday, January 10th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Latam trade surplus with US tops 100 billion US dollars

Latinamerica and the Caribbean trade surplus with the United States in November dropped 11.5% in November to just over 7 billion US dollars according to the US Department of Commerce.
Wednesday, January 10th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Chile's largest meat producer caught selling rotten goods

Agrosuper, Chile's largest meat producer could face serious fines or a shutdown of its factories by health authorities after workers of its Huechuraba plant denounced the sale of decomposing meat.
Wednesday, January 10th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Car sales in Chile soaring and clogging Santiago

A record 711.000 cars were sold in Chile's Metropolitan Region in 2006, up 7.6% more vehicles than last year.
Wednesday, January 10th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Reborn Ortega takes office praised by Chavez and Bush

Former Marxist guerrilla and United States Cold War enemy Daniel Ortega was sworn in as Nicaraguan president on Wednesday 16 years after voters tired of a civil war with Contra rebels threw him out of office.
Tuesday, January 9th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Chavez announces nationalization of oil and telecoms

President Hugo Chavez announced plans on Monday to nationalize Venezuela's electrical and telecommunications companies, pledging to create a socialist state in the spirit of the Bolivarian revolution.
Tuesday, January 9th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Insulza branded an “idiot”

Chavez's nationalization announcement came in his first speech of the year, a fiery address in which he used a vulgar word roughly meaning “idiot” to refer to Organization of American States Secretary-General Jose Miguel Insulza.