Latin America

Thursday, January 10th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Freedom at last for FARC hostages in Colombia

Colombian rebels freed two women held hostage for more than five years, handing them over Thursday to Venezuelan officials who flew them to Caracas where a triumphant President Hugo Chavez awaited
Wednesday, January 9th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
P Arenas abattoir geared for Arab clients looks to Mecca

Next January 17 Chilean Minister of Agriculture Alvaro Rojas will inaugurate an abattoir for sheep in Punta Arenas which has been specifically conditioned for Islamic markets. The slaughtering space looks towards Mecca the holiest of all Islamic cities which is an advantage to for selling to Arab countries.
Wednesday, January 9th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Chilean government aid for Magallanes private sector

Almost five million US dollars in development funds were delivered last year to 519 companies in Magallanes Region in the extreme south of Chile, which represents a 30% increase over 2006.
Wednesday, January 9th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Norwegian company suspends energy project in Chile

Norwegian energy company SN Power recently agreed to temporarily suspend activities on its southern Chile Region XIV hydroelectric project due to vocal opposition from local indigenous groups.
Wednesday, January 9th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Morales and dissident governors reach Bolivian unity pact

Bolivian President Evo Morales and provincial governors have agreed to draw up a pact of national unity to prevent the country from splitting apart. Mr Morales and the governors said they want to settle their differences over a new draft constitution and revenues from natural gas exports.
Tuesday, January 8th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Colombia: no more international humanitarian missions

Colombia will allow no more international missions seeking the release of hostages held by leftist cocaine funded rebels after a Venezuela-led plan dissolved in a flurry of accusations last week, the government announced Monday in Bogota. However FARC said the handover operation is still on and Argentina expressed “dismay” at the Colombian government's attitude.
Tuesday, January 8th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Two weekly flights Santiago-Pto Natales Torres del Paine park

Air Comet a Chilean subsidiary of the Spanish Group Marsans is expanding domestic flights in the country and announced two weekly flights to Puerto Natales, in the extreme south of Chilean Patagonia.
Monday, January 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
New gas field could increase Bolivia's total production 5%

A new gas field has been found in east Bolivia, which will have a production capacity of 2.4 million-cubic-meter a day by October, Bolivian President Evo Morales announced. The new field, called Tacobo and operated by Argentine Pluspetrol, is located in San Isidro, the Bolivian eastern province of Santa Cruz rich in oil and natural gas reserves.
Monday, January 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Stone blames Bush for failed release of Colombian hostages

Hollywood director Oliver Stone who was to film the liberation of hostages held by the Colombian cocaine funded guerrilla FARC at the end of December, accused the United States for the failure of the mission and defends the role played by Venezuela's president Hugo Chavez in the frustrated operation.
Monday, January 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Santiago airport to handle 2.2 million pax this summer

From December 2007 to February 2008 an expected 2.2 million passengers will be passing through Santiago de Chile's Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport, reports The Santiago Times. This is a 10% increase over last summer, and 20% of this figure corresponds to first-time travelers, according to airport operations chief Alberto Becerra.