Latin America

• Saturday, December 1st 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Human rights experts alarmed by Venezuelan reforms

  Three independent United Nations human rights experts on Friday voiced concern about planned constitutional reforms in Venezuela, saying the proposed changes could curb civil liberties and breach the South American country's international treaty commitments.

• Saturday, December 1st 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Desperate efforts from Chavez to ensure his victory

  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez threatened Friday to interrupt oil exports to the United States if violence breaks out after a controversial and hotly contested weekend referendum.

• Friday, November 30th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  All eyes on Ecuador's reforms debate and squabbling neighbors

  

  Confronted Colombia and Venezuela presidents Alvaro Uribe and Hugo Chavez will have to act politely on Friday if they cross each other during the official inauguration of Ecuador's constitutional assembly seated in Ciudad Alfaro, 500 kilometers from the capital Quito.

• Friday, November 30th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Colombia “prudently” downplays incident with Venezuela

  

  Colombia hasn't received an official statement from Venezuela on diplomatic relations between the two nations and will act with “prudence and discretion”, Colombian Foreign Minister Fernando Araujo said on Thursday.

• Friday, November 30th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazil to construct Chile's largest coal fueled complex

  

  Brazil's giant EBX recently announced plans to build the largest coal-fired energy-producing complex in Chile, to be named Castilla, which will be located near the Region III city of Copiapó. Market sources indicate that the investment associated with this type of power plant would exceed 2 billion US dollars.

• Friday, November 30th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Sunken Explorer's fuel spill endangers mating penguins

  

  An estimated 2.500 penguins in Antarctica are endangered by an oil spill from the sunken cruise vessel Explorer, impeding access to their mating and nesting places. The oil spill is 1.500 meters long by 200, according to experts from the Chilean Antarctic Institute.

• Friday, November 30th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Ecuador begins drafting “citizens' revolution” chart

  

  Ecuador's Constitutional assembly meeting in Montecristi, 500 kilometers from the capital Quito, was officially inaugurated Friday by President Rafael Correa amidst warnings from the opposition that democracy in the country was at risk.

• Thursday, November 29th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Chavez breaks off relations with Colombia's Uribe

  

  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez broke off relations with Colombia on Wednesday, vowing not to restore ties as long as President Alvaro Uribe is in power after the collapse of mediation talks with leftist rebels.

• Thursday, November 29th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Chile implements an early red tide alert system

  

  Chile is implementing an early alert system to detect Red Tide (mr-SAT) that should be operational beginning January 2008 was announced Wednesday by the country's National Fisheries Service (SERNAPESCA).

• Thursday, November 29th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Guyana offers to trade millions rain forest hectares for aid

  

  Guyana has offered to preserve its entire rain forest with control going to a British-led international group in return for economic aid.