Latin America

• Sunday, February 18th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  ENAP drills for natural gas in continental Magallanes

  Chile's oil corporation ENAP began drilling for natural gas last February 15 in continental Magallanes Region in an area identified as Dorado-Riquelme to the north east of Punta Arenas.

• Sunday, February 18th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Eight thousand bus drivers threaten to paralyze Santiago

  The possible strike comes only a week after the new transit system was inaugurated and caused widespread confusion and public outrage after getting off to a slow start. Fenattrans president Sergio Cifuentes said the union was protesting the government for not responding to seven requests that the union sent to the government on January 8.

• Sunday, February 18th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  US/Colombia free trade agreement seems ever more distant

  The free trade agreement which the George Bush administration signed with Colombia is stalled in the US Congress and could face further delays because of the alleged links of the Colombian President Alvaro Uribe administration with para military forces.

• Saturday, February 17th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Chavez promises less inflation and new currency

  

  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced Friday plans to reduce the value-added tax and reform the currency, in an effort to curb inflation and product scarcity.

• Saturday, February 17th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Latinamerican voters dissatisfied with their economies

  

  Latin America's current drift to the political left suggests voters are uncertain, and in some cases dissatisfied, with their economies, said on Friday the head of the International Monetary Fund Rodrigo de Rato addressing a business conference in New York.

• Friday, February 16th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Oil threat ups security

  

  Venezuela will reinforce security measures after a branch of al Qaeda called for attacks on suppliers of oil to the United States, the defence minister said on yesterday.

• Friday, February 16th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Mexican economy surprises and expands 4.8% in 2006

  

  Mexico's economy, Latinamerica's largest expanded 4.8% in 2006 compared to 2005 and the highest in six years reported the Finance Secretary in an official release.

• Thursday, February 15th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  EU Parliament votes against diverting farm subsidies

  A European Commission proposal that would have allowed Member States to divert some Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) direct farm payments to rural development spending was almost unanimously rejected by the European Parliament with 89 votes in favour, 584 votes against and 19 abstentions. The Commission must now decide if it will withdrawal the proposal.

• Thursday, February 15th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  “Chile and Peru should settle border issue by dialogue”

  

  Organization of American States (OAS) head José Miguel Insulza said that Chile and Peru should settle their differences over a recent border conflict via dialogue. At a visit to Lima for a meeting of Latin American countries involved in the peacekeeping process in Haiti, Insulza warned of the presence of radical sectors, or “hawks,” wishing to upset relations between the two countries.

• Wednesday, February 14th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  White House lobbying Congress to approve free trade accords

  United States chief trade official Susan Schwab said the Bush administration is very anxious to see Congress vote for the free trade agreements with Peru, Colombia and Panama which have been stalled by Democrats' concerns over labor provisions.