Latin America

• Thursday, December 1st 2011 - 16:30 UTC

  Chile requests extradition of former US Army officer allegedly involved in the 1973 killing of two US citizens

  

  Chile’s Supreme Court has requested the extradition of former US army officer, Capt. Raymond E. Davis, over his alleged involvement in the murder of two US citizens in Chile, days after the coup of 11 September, 1973 that ushered in 17 years of brutal military rule.

• Wednesday, November 30th 2011 - 00:11 UTC

  Ecuadorean volcano spews red-hot rock and ash; populations abandon risk area

  

  Ecuador's Tungurahua volcano (‘throat of fire’ in indigenous Quechua language) spewed red-hot rock and ash Tuesday as officials upgraded their eruption warning level to orange and some at-risk communities began evacuations.

• Tuesday, November 29th 2011 - 23:11 UTC

  Mexico’s mariachi music named to UNESCO list of “intangible cultural heritage”

  

  Mexico celebrated as mariachi music was named to UNESCO's list of “intangible cultural heritage” in need of preservation. The Mexican music was among the new entries chosen by envoys at a meeting in Indonesia to be inscribed on the UN cultural agency's list of intangible heritage items.

• Tuesday, November 29th 2011 - 23:05 UTC

  Poverty in Latam at lowest level in 20 years; but 174 million are still below the line

  

  Poverty and indigence in Latin America and the Caribbean are at their lowest in twenty years according to the latest report from the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, ECLAC, released on Tuesday in Chile.

• Tuesday, November 29th 2011 - 17:21 UTC

  UNASUR considers strengthening emergency fund for balance of payments problems

  

  The Union of South American Nations, Unasur, may decide this week to strengthen an emergency fund to help countries in balance of payments problems, the Brazilian Finance Ministry’s international affairs secretary said.

• Tuesday, November 29th 2011 - 15:34 UTC

  UK opens new consulate in Recife, next to northeast Brazil main trade and sea hub

  

  Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne on Tuesday opened a new Consulate General in Recife, Brazil - the city which became home to one of the first ever British missions in South America in 1808.

• Tuesday, November 29th 2011 - 06:14 UTC

  CFK off to Venezuela to meet with Chavez and Dilma Rousseff

  

  Argentine President Cristina Fernández will hold a bilateral meeting next Friday with her Brazilian counterpart Dilma Rousseff in the framework of the first Latin American and Caribbean States Community Summit (CELAC).

• Tuesday, November 29th 2011 - 06:10 UTC

  Venezuela and Colombia agree to boost trade by reducing tariffs on 3.500 items

  

  Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez and his visiting Colombian counterpart Juan Manuel Santos subscribed Monday a trade understanding covering 3.500 items, based on the most exchanged products in recent years, and agreed on an ambitious energy projects that include neighbouring Ecuador and Panama.

• Tuesday, November 29th 2011 - 06:07 UTC

  Puerto Toro, the most austral town in the world celebrates its 119 anniversary

  

  The most austral village in the world, the Chilean town of Puerto Toro is celebrating this week the 119 anniversary of its foundation.

• Tuesday, November 29th 2011 - 05:56 UTC

  Private sector will gradually replace Cuban government services beginning 2012

  

  The Cuban government will begin contracting out some services to the private sector next year in a break from the state-dominated past aimed at helping small business develop, government insiders said on Monday.