Latin America

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

  Falklands’ lawmakers underline significance of the referendum to Latam countries

  

  “Who else but us can decide on our future” said Falkland Islands representatives currently visiting several Latin American countries, who anticipated that next year’s referendum on the Islands political status will send the world a clear forceful message on “our right to self determination”.

• Wednesday, September 5th 2012 - 06:20 UTC

  Relief for Piñera: congress approves tax reform to provide funds for education

  

  Chile's Congress approved on Tuesday major changes in tax laws aimed to provide funds for an overhaul of the nation's protest-hit schools, handing unpopular President Sebastian Piñera a welcome victory a month from municipal elections.

• Wednesday, September 5th 2012 - 05:40 UTC

  Brazil applies 25% tariff increase on 100 imported goods; another 100 list in the making

  

  The Brazilian government approved a 25% tariff increase on an additional list of 100 goods from outside Mercosur and at the same time announced the implementation of a monitoring scheme for those items’ prices in the domestic market to avoid unduly increases.

• Wednesday, September 5th 2012 - 00:35 UTC

  Tourist arrivals in Chile keep growing but concentrated on Argentina and Brazil

  

  International arrivals in Chile in the first half of the year showed a significant growth of 15% compared to the same period a year before, having totalled 1.850.048 tourists, according to the Chilean Tourism Barometer compiled by Fedetur, the Federation of Tourism companies from Chile.

• Wednesday, September 5th 2012 - 00:14 UTC

  EC regrets stances of “protectionism” and “populism” in some Mercosur members

  

  The president of the European Commission Jose Durao Barroso said on Tuesday that the EU 27 members still want to reach a free trade agreement with Mercosur, but warned that the “protectionist stances” from some of its members makes it difficult.

• Wednesday, September 5th 2012 - 00:05 UTC

  Argentina files third trade complaint challenging US laws that block fresh lemons

  

  Argentina has filed its third trade complaint in two weeks, the World Trade Organization said on Monday, challenging US laws that it says have blocked imports of fresh lemons from north-west Argentina.

• Tuesday, September 4th 2012 - 23:42 UTC

  Russia’s Gazprom ready to help YPF develop gas and non-conventional resources

  

  Argentine nationalized oil company YPF moved forward in the signing of an agreement with Russian state oil company Gazprom to develop conventional and non-conventional gas in Argentina and the eventual supply of liquefied gas.

• Tuesday, September 4th 2012 - 23:35 UTC

  Santos announces talks to end conflict with FARC begin next month in Oslo

  

  Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas to end the long standing conflict would start in Oslo in the first half of October before moving to Havana.

• Tuesday, September 4th 2012 - 06:26 UTC

  Mercosur faces “great problems and internal divisions” making talks with EU “difficult”

  

  French Foreign Trade minister Nicole Bricq said that there are “great problems” in the current negotiations between the EU and Mercosur to reach an association agreement which also includes a free trade chapter.

• Tuesday, September 4th 2012 - 06:18 UTC

  Hague says Assange rights protected by Sweden, UK, EU and international law

  

  UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said that any suggestion of a risk of breach for Julian Assange’s human rights on extradition to Sweden is completely unfounded and recalled that international, EU and UK law fully address the concerns raised by Assange and by the Government of Ecuador.