Latin America

• Friday, September 26th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Ecuadorian president set to win Sunday's charter referendum

  

  Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa is expected to win a constitutional referendum vote next Sunday to accelerate sweeping economic reforms to limit the private sector and expand the Executive control of the oil-exporting country's economy

• Thursday, September 25th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  British priest killed by Pinochet Navy could be lead case

  

  The sister of an Anglo-Chilean Catholic priest Miguel Woodward, who disappeared in 1973 in Valparaiso after having been held captive in a naval school vessel, called on the Chilean Navy to assume “responsibilities” for human rights abuses committed during the military regime (1973/1990).

• Thursday, September 25th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Unasur commission to investigate killings of Bolivian peasants

  Presidents and representatives from the Union of South American Nations, Unasur agreed on the creation of a committee to investigate recent peasant massacres in the Bolivian province of Pando.

• Wednesday, September 24th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Punta Arenas cruise and port services VAT controversy

  

  Chile's Free Competition tribunal ruled that legislation allowing the reimbursement of VAT (value added tax) only to foreign cruise companies was discriminatory for the domestic cruise industry.

• Wednesday, September 24th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Venezuela anticipates oil sales to China of a million bpd in 2012

  China and Venezuela signed on Wednesday in Beijing a wide range of agreements to boost trade, energy cooperation and agriculture and in other fields. The agreements were signed by Chinese Vice Premier Li Kegiang and visiting Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez.

• Wednesday, September 24th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Uruguay's winter crops area jumps 49% to 593.000 ha.

  

  Uruguay's winter crops area has increased 49% over a year ago totaling 593.000 hectares (399.000) according to the country's Agriculture Ministry Statistics Office, DIEA-MGAP.

• Monday, September 22nd 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Nuclear powered “Peter the Great” en route to Venezuela

  

  A fleet of Russian warships is heading to Venezuelan waters for joint naval war games in November, the biggest since the end of the Cold War. The fleet left its base at Severomorosk in the Arctic and is headed by a nuclear powered cruiser.

• Saturday, September 20th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Morales proposal: greater autonomy for constitution vote

  Bolivian President Evo Morales offered Friday to include eastern provinces' autonomy demands in his proposed new constitution, raising hopes for a solution to the country's prolonged violent political crisis.

• Saturday, September 20th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Human rights group accuses Chavez of growing “intolerance”

  

  The Venezuelan government's expulsion of two Human Rights Watch staff underscores the President Hugo Chávez administration's increasing intolerance of dissenting views, Human Rights Watch said on Friday.

• Saturday, September 20th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Uribe lobbies before US Congress for approval of trade pact

  Colombian President Alvaro Uribe urged US Congress on Friday to quickly approve a bilateral free-trade agreement that remains stalled in the Democrat controlled House of Representatives since last April.