Latin America

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

  Magallanes extends oil licences to five global companies

  

  Five international corporations have won bids for hydrocarbons exploration and production in nine out of ten blocks in the extreme south of Chile, --Magallanes Region--, was announced on Thursday by the country's Deputy Mining Minister Diego Vio in Punta Arenas.

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

  Spain downplays incident with Venezuela's Chavez

  Spain has sought to end tensions with Venezuela after President Hugo Chavez said he would review his country's ties with Spain. Meeting on Thursday with diplomats and reporters in Madrid Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said Spain will defend its interests without more unnecessary gestures.

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

  Venezuela, like Iran to launch peaceful nuclear program

  Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez this week told a French TV channel that Venezuela, just like Iran, is launching a peaceful nuclear program.

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

  Guess what leaders Bush, Chavez and Castro share?

  

  Brazil and Chile's presidents, Lula da Silva and Michelle Bachelet, are the leaders with the greatest support in Latinamerica according to the results of a public opinion poll from Corporacion Latinobaromentro, released Friday in Santiago de Chile.

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

  Chavez threatens Spanish corporations in Venezuela

  

  Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez said Wednesday he would force Spanish businesses to be more accountable due to a spat in which Spanish King Juan Carlos told him to “shut up” during a summit.

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

  Mexican tycoon wins contract in Panama Canal expansion

  A consortium led by Mexican billionaire tycoon Carlos Slim posted the cheapest bid on Wednesday to win the latest small contract to expand the Panama Canal, part of the wider 5.25 billion US dollars project.

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

  Lack of gas plunges economic activity in Punta Arenas 22.2%

  Argentina's natural gas supply restrictions to the Chilean extreme south region of Magallanes forced a drastic collapse of economic activity and exports, during the third quarter according to official data from the Santiago Statistics Office, INE.

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

  Prez Chavez calls Spain's King arrogant after spat

  

  President Hugo Chavez said Tuesday he hopes a spat with Spanish King Juan Carlos doesn't spiral into a diplomatic crisis but that Venezuela doesn't need Spanish investment.

• Tuesday, November 13th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Chile supports existing multilateral financial institutions

  Chile's government ratified its purchase of 50 million US dollars in shares from Corporacion Andina de Fomento, the Andean region development agency known as CAF, El Mercurio reported.

• Sunday, November 11th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  “People Summit” Concludes in Santiago de Chile

  

  Chile's Summit for Friendship and Integration of the Latin-American People, popularly known as the People's Summit, culminated Saturday with an event that brought together Bolivian President Evo Morales, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, and Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage. Speaking to a crowd of roughly 3,000 spectators, the four leaders emphasized unity among Latin American nations–particularly against the hegemony of U.S. capitalism—as the key to constructing the region's future.