Latin America

• Wednesday, August 5th 2009 - 07:11 UTC

  Leopard tanks corruption in Chile jails two generals and summons ministers

  

  Two retired Chilean army officers have been charged with accepting bribes for the purchase of Dutch armoured vehicles in 1998. The men are accused of taking a 600.000 US dollars bribe over the sale of 200 Leopard tanks.

• Wednesday, August 5th 2009 - 07:09 UTC

  US forces in Colombian bases controversy overshadows regional military summit

  

  United States General Douglas Fraser, in charge of US Southern Command operations covering South America said that there are good reasons for the deployment of US military units in Colombia bases, but also stressed that no final deal had yet been struck.

• Wednesday, August 5th 2009 - 06:59 UTC

  Chavez condemns attack on television station as “counter revolutionary”

  

  Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez confirmed Tuesday that one of her militants Lina Ron was under arrest for having been involved in the Monday attack on the Globovision television station, an action which he also condemned.

• Wednesday, August 5th 2009 - 00:43 UTC

  Spider crab season kicks off in Punta Arenas; target 2.300 tons

  

  The first boatloads of Magellan spider crabs (king crab) arrived in Punta Arenas, extreme south of Chile, late last week, marking the commencement of the 2009 spider crab season and the end of the National Fishing Service’s six month ban on hunting the prized crustaceans.

• Tuesday, August 4th 2009 - 12:45 UTC

  Strengthening international cooperation is the main challenge of Antarctic meeting

  

  With the challenge of strengthening international cooperation for development of Antarctic science, the XXI Annual Meeting of the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP) started yesterday. COMNAP is one of the most important forums of the Antarctic Treaty System.

• Tuesday, August 4th 2009 - 10:54 UTC

  Chile to invest 180 million USD in tourism infrastructure

  

  In a nod to the luxury cruiser industry, Chile’s government says it will invest more than 180 million US dollars to improve and expand tourism infrastructure to convince foreign travellers to visit the country.

• Tuesday, August 4th 2009 - 10:41 UTC

  Uribe tours South America to explain US bases in Colombia

  

  A plan to increase the number of US troops in Colombia is drawing opposition, not just from left-wing populist leaders in the region but also from moderate governments prompting President Alvaro Uribe to tour the region and try to ease concerns.

• Tuesday, August 4th 2009 - 09:36 UTC

  Thousands of “eclipse tourists” expected to flock to Easter Island in July 2010

  

  Thousands of visitors are set to fly to Chile’s Easter Island to view the longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century scheduled for July 11, 2010. But Easter Island inhabitants warn the tiny isle cannot accommodate so many people.

• Monday, August 3rd 2009 - 13:50 UTC

  Bolivian president Morales launches the “indigenous autonomy”

  

  Bolivia has become the first country in the history of South America to declare the right of indigenous people to govern themselves. The country's first indigenous president, Evo Morales, launched his so-called “indigenous autonomy” policy in the eastern lowlands.

• Monday, August 3rd 2009 - 13:13 UTC

  Weapons from 27 different countries found in Colombian terrorist camps

  

  Weapons captured by the Colombian forces from the terrorist cocaine-funded organization FARC during the last ten years originated in at least 27 different countries and the Colombian government has requested help in finding out how they reached the jungle war.