Latin America

• Saturday, June 6th 2009 - 14:32 UTC

  Chilean inflation below target; economy heading for recession

  

  Chile's consumer price index fell a bigger-than-expected 0.3% in May after a fall of 0.2% in April, the National Statistics Institute reported on Friday.
  On an annual basis, inflation for the 12 months through May slowed to 3%, the Central Bank's target rate -- from 4.5% for the year through April. In the first five months of 2009, inflation is down to minus 1.1%.

• Saturday, June 6th 2009 - 14:24 UTC

  Clashes with police over minerals’ rights kill 34 in Peruvian Amazon

  

  At least 34 people have been reported killed in clashes in Peru between the security forces and indigenous people in the Amazon region protesting oil and gas exploration on their lands.

• Friday, June 5th 2009 - 13:08 UTC

  Raul Castro removes architect of the “convertible peso”

  

  The head of Cuba's central bank Francisco Soberón has resigned after holding the job for fifteen years. He was replaced by Ernesto Medina who heads Banco Financiero Internacional, one of Cuba's biggest banks, according to an official announcement read on Thursday evening news.

• Friday, June 5th 2009 - 08:09 UTC

  Short of dollars, Venezuela tightens currency exchange controls

  

  Venezuela tightened currency-exchange controls this week cutting in half the amount of dollars that residents may obtain through the government to send to relatives abroad according to Official Gazette.

• Friday, June 5th 2009 - 05:29 UTC

  US not contemplating the end of the embargo on Cuba

  

  The United States government said it was satisfied with the resolution which revoked OAS sanctions on Cuba, but warned that it’s “not contemplating” for the moment talking about an end on the half century embargo on the Havana regime.

• Friday, June 5th 2009 - 05:05 UTC

  OAS decision a “great victory”, but Cuba will not return

  

  Cuban National Assembly president Ricardo Alarcón said on Thursday that the decision of the Organization of American States (OAS) to lift Cuba's exclusion is a “great victory” for Latinamerica and the island, although he reiterated that the Castro regime will not return to the institution.

• Thursday, June 4th 2009 - 15:50 UTC

  Six Chilean Business Schools among the best of Latinamerica

  

  A newly released yearly ranking of the best business schools in Latinamerica conducted by América Economia Intelligence placed six Chilean Universities among the top 20.

• Thursday, June 4th 2009 - 15:27 UTC

  Resources short Cuba cuts power to wasteful companies

  

  Hundreds of Cuban entities and state-run companies were sanctioned when a drastic government plan to save energy entered into force, according to reports in the official media.

• Thursday, June 4th 2009 - 15:15 UTC

  GM Latinamerica one of the most profitable, and with plenty of credit

  

  General Motors operations in Latinamerica, Africa and the Middle East remain as strong as ever in spite GM Corp. filed in the US for bankruptcy protection this week, a top official from the company said.

• Thursday, June 4th 2009 - 15:07 UTC

  Buffaloes introduced in Cuba have become a threat for crops

  

  A herd of wild buffalo has become a nightmare for peasants in the western Cuban province of Pinar del Rio because the beasts are invading and devouring their crops of tobacco and vegetables, reports the Communist Party daily Granma.