Latin America

• Saturday, September 8th 2012 - 05:26 UTC

  Bolivia will formally request Mercosur full membership in 2013

  

  Bolivia will begin the coming year formal talks for full membership of Mercosur, for which it has the support from Uruguay, said diplomatic sources from both countries, Bolivian Deputy Foreign minister Juan Carlos Alurralde met with his Uruguayan counterpart Roberto Conde in the framework of the “Bolivia-Uruguay coordination and consultation mechanism” sixth meeting in La Paz.

• Friday, September 7th 2012 - 06:09 UTC

  Santos rejects FARC proposal for cease fire during talks to end the conflict

  

  Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos rejected a proposal on Thursday by FARC rebels for a bilateral ceasefire during talks next month aimed at bringing an end to half a century of war.

• Friday, September 7th 2012 - 03:26 UTC

  “Argentine blockade can’t stop the Falklands”, said Islands’ lawmakers in Guatemala

  

  The Argentine blockade can’t stop the Falkland Islands and “if Argentina believes that these aggressions are going to change the mind and spirit of the Islanders, they are dead wrong, much on the contrary”, said Falklands’ lawmakers currently visiting Guatemala on a tour of Central America and Mexico.

• Friday, September 7th 2012 - 03:20 UTC

  Falklands and Latin America affairs responsibility of Minister of State Hugo Swire

  

  After UK government cabinet reshuffle which confirmed Foreign Secretary William Hague and Secretary of Defence, Philip Hammond, the Falkland Islands and Latin America become the responsibility of Minister of State Hugo Swire MP until now Minister of State for the Northern Ireland Office. The new ministerial teams and their portfolios are as follows.

• Thursday, September 6th 2012 - 06:35 UTC

  Patriota defends Mercosur decisions on Paraguay before the Brazilian congress

  

  Brazilian Foreign minister Antonio Patriota strongly defended the decision to suspend Paraguay from Mercosur following the removal of Fernando Lugo from the presidency, as well as the incorporation of Venezuela as full member of the trade group.

• Thursday, September 6th 2012 - 05:46 UTC

  Despite Chavez denial, Yanomami indigenous tribe claim there was a massacre

  

  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Wednesday became the latest senior official to insist there is no evidence of an alleged massacre of some 80 Yanomami indigenous people.

• Thursday, September 6th 2012 - 04:22 UTC

  Latam governance and economic performance receives positive balance from OAS

  

  The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza offered a positive balance of governance in Latinamerica and the performance of the region’s economy, in general, during the last twelve months.

• Thursday, September 6th 2012 - 03:59 UTC

  ‘Copper insulated’ Chilean economy outperforming and Peso becoming too strong

  

  The Chilean central bank raised its forecast for economic growth this year to between 4.75% and 5.25% (from 4% to 5%), adding that it expects GDP to expand 4% to 5% in 2013.

• Thursday, September 6th 2012 - 03:05 UTC

  Santos unveils negotiating team for talks to end 50 year conflict

  

  Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos unveiled on Wednesday a six-man team to negotiate with FARC rebels in the hope of ending almost 50 years of internal war.

• Wednesday, September 5th 2012 - 19:25 UTC

  Falklands’ delegates at the Parlamericas assembly in Panama as invited observers

  

  Politicians and opinion formers are genuinely interested to hear about the Falkland Islands and plans for the coming referendum said lawmakers from the Islands who recently participated at the Parlamericas, (Parliamentarians for the Americas) conference in Panama City (*).