Latin America

• Saturday, February 14th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Venezuela: incident with Spain before crucial referendum

  Spain said on Saturday it was preparing an official complaint against Venezuela's decision to deport a member of the European Parliament (MEP) for criticising the Venezuelan electoral commission.

• Saturday, February 14th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Chile annoyed with Fidel's “meddling” reflections

  Chilean President Michelle Bachelet said on Saturday she was annoyed at “meddling” comments by former Cuban leader Fidel Castro, who wrote in an article that Chile snatched Bolivia's only sea access in the 19th century.

• Friday, February 13th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Venezuela readies to vote controversial indefinite re-election

  Venezuelan armed forces started on Friday moving to polling stations in Caracas to guarantee security during the upcoming Sunday referendum that would abolish term limits of elected leaders and could allow President Hugo Chavez to seek re-election indefinitely.

• Friday, February 13th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Bachelet finds Fidel Castro “very active and very agile”

  Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro met with visiting Chilean President Michelle Bachelet on Thursday said she found him “very active and in good condition” and “very much interested in Chilean affairs”.

• Thursday, February 12th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Chilean peso at a four month high against US dollar

  

  The Chilean peso hit a new four-month high on Wednesday, driven higher as banks and pension funds sold dollars to buy local bonds, while stocks retreated ahead of a likely aggressive central bank rate cut.

• Thursday, February 12th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Panama Canal forecasts 5% drop in cargo tonnage

  

  The global slowdown have influenced estimates of the Panama Canal Authority, CAP, which now forecasts a 5% drop in cargo tonnage going through the waterway in 2008-2009. This represents a decrease close to 19.9 million tons, leaving a total of 294.1 million.

• Thursday, February 12th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Peace Nobel Prize Lech Walesa banned from Venezuela

  

  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said that former Polish president and Nobel Prize winner Lech Walesa won't be allowed to visit his country.

• Thursday, February 12th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Bolivia reveals companies' interest in lithium reserves

  

  Four foreign companies are interested in mining lithium in Salar de Uyuni, the world's largest known deposit of that metal, with the aim of producing automobile batteries, a Bolivian government official said this week.

• Thursday, February 12th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Chilean president ignores Cuban political prisoners

  

  Cuban dissidents expressed disappointment that Chilean President Michelle Bachelet is not interested in meeting with them during her official visit to the island, adding that her personal history as victim of political persecution makes the issue even more regretful.

• Wednesday, February 11th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  First Chilean president visit to Cuba in four decades

  

  Chilean President Michelle Bachelet began Wednesday a three day official visit to Cuba, the first such visit by a Chilean leader in almost four decades.