Latin America

• Wednesday, February 25th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Peruvian president García in an opinion poll upturn

  The promotion of private investment and an improved image of Peru abroad boosted President Alan Garcia's approval rating to 32% this month, pollster Ipsos-Apoyo said in a national survey published Sunday in the newspaper El Comercio.

• Tuesday, February 24th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Implementation of Chilean stimulus plan boosts Peso

  

  The Chilean peso surged on Tuesday following the announcement the government would sell US dollars on the local market to finance a massive fiscal stimulus package. The peso closed at 603.30/603.80 per dollar compared to Monday's 624.00/624.50 per dollar.

• Tuesday, February 24th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Dakar Rally will again be hosted by Argentina and Chile

  

  The Chilean government confirmed this week that Chile and Argentina will again be co-hosting the 2010 edition of the Dakar Rally which for the first time took place this summer in both South American countries including the crossing of the mighty Andes cordillera.

• Sunday, February 22nd 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Venezuela's Chavez: Unexpected and brief visit to Cuba

  

  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez arrived this weekend in Havana for a “working visit” with his Cuban colleague, Raul Castro, an official communique published Saturday in the island's press said without offering further details

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

  Fidel Castro prefers to meet “lady” presidents, says Raul

  

  The presidents of Argentina (Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner) and Chile (Michelle Bachelet) met with the ailing leader of the Cuban revolution because they are “ladies” revealed this week his brother and president Raul Castro who added that this means that “not all visiting leaders to Cuba get to see him”.

• Thursday, February 19th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentina and Brazil fail to agree over trade barriers

  

  Brazilian and Argentine officials failed to reach an agreement in talks Tuesday night to defuse growing tensions over trade barriers. However a bilateral working group was announced and another round of talks has been scheduled for March 4.

• Thursday, February 19th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Ecuador's Correa expels second US official in a month

  

  The State Department Wednesday called Ecuador's expulsion of a U.S. diplomat unjustified and said the United States will respond appropriately. The expulsion was the second of its kind this month.

• Thursday, February 19th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  BP suspends all operations with Super Puma choppers

  

  British Petroleum has suspended using Super Puma Bond helicopters for North Sea flights after one of the aircraft carrying 18 people ditched off the Scottish coast. The company said it had decided to temporarily stop using that type of helicopter on flights from Aberdeen “as a precaution” in light of Wednesday's incident.

• Thursday, February 19th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Stanford failure panic spreads to Peru and Venezuela

  

  Peru and Venezuela have become the latest countries to intervene in local banks controlled by the Stanford group as it faces fraud accusations. Peru's securities regulator suspended local operations of the Stanford Financial Group for 30 days.

• Wednesday, February 18th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Morales after European partners for mining projects

  French conglomerate Bollore plans to submit a plan to develop Bolivia's Lake Uyuni lithium deposit one of the world's largest said a spokesman for Bolivian President Evo Morales who is currently visiting France.