Latin America

• Tuesday, January 15th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  FARC robs Colombian tourists and takes six hostages

  

  Colombia's biggest rebel group cocaine funded FARC kidnapped six Colombian tourists in the western province of Choco, daily El Tiempo reported in its online edition.

• Tuesday, January 15th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Lula visits Cuba with an option for Venezuelan influence

  President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva arrived Tuesday in Havana for a 24-hour visit to strengthen economic ties with Cuba. He is expected to sign a series of trade, cooperation and investment agreements in spite of the US economic embargo

• Tuesday, January 15th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Infectious anemia extends among Chilean salmon farms

  Marine Harvest, the world's leading farmed fish producer, continues to be hit hard by the so-called “biological situation” in Chile. On Monday, shares in Marine Harvest fell by some 4.6% after the Norwegian-owned company issued a press statement admitting it did not reach its production forecasts in Chile

• Tuesday, January 15th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Chile united to defend maritime border dispute with Peru

  

  The political parties of the Chilean ruling coalition Concertación, the opposition Alianza alliance and the Communist Party (PC) gave their full backing Monday to the government's plan to defend Chile's northern maritime border against claims by neighboring Peru. The two countries seek to resolve the maritime issue at the International Court of Justice at The Hague.

• Monday, January 14th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Freed Colombian hostages condemn kidnaps as “torture”

  The two Colombian hostages liberated by the cocaine funded FARC, Clara Rojas and Consuelo Gonzalez de Perdomo described the guerrilla methods as “brutal” and condemned kidnapping as a crime against humanity.

• Monday, January 14th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Magallanes oil/gas exploration contracts ready for next March

  

  Chile's Ministry of Mines expects to sign next March oil operating contracts with the corporations that have won licences to explore and exploit hydrocarbons in the extreme south of the country reports La Prensa Austral from Punta Arenas.

• Monday, January 14th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Released Colombian hostage meets baby son after three years

  

  Released Colombian hostage Clara Rojas had an emotional reunion Sunday in Bogota with her son Emmanuel, three years after he was taken from her while she was in captivity in Colombia's jungle, according to government sources.

• Monday, January 14th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Peru en route to become regional natural gas power

  

  Spain's Repsol announced the discovery of a new gas deposit at block 57 in Peru's Cuzco department that holds 56.6 billion cubic meters. The discovery was made at exploratory well Kinteroni X1 where initial production tests have reached 1Mm3/d of gas and 198m3 of associated liquid hydrocarbons.

• Monday, January 14th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Guatemalan president promises democracy with “Mayan face”

  

  Guatemala's Alvaro Colom was sworn in as president Monday, vowing to fight violent crime and empower the impoverished indigenous population in a social democracy with a “Mayan face”. With a population of 13 million, 45% ethnic Mayan, more than six million Guatemalans live below the poverty line of one US dollar per day.

• Sunday, January 13th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Ecuador's Tungurahua Volcano Spews Rocks, Ash

  

  Ecuador's Tungurahua volcano on Saturday hurled fiery rocks and sent a column of ash and steam 1 1/2 miles above its crater. Experts have warned that Tungurahua is poised for a major eruption within a matter of days or weeks.