
Spain high-street retailer Zara has been accused of allegedly accepting slave-labor working conditions supplanted by more than 30 of its outsourced plants running in Brazil.

Korea’s leading businesses are making their forays into Latin America, which has emerged as a favoured destination among global investors for its growing economy, ample natural resources and robust domestic demand.

Colombia/Argentina bilateral trade is set to reach 2 billion dollars, eight times its 2003 value, and remains favourable for Argentina, according to Minister of Industry Debora Girogi.

The Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement which took effect on Monday August 15 is Canada's fourth bilateral trade deal with a Latin American country and eliminates tariffs on a range of goods and services in an effort to facilitate trade and investment.

According to a new report issued by Fitch Ratings, the magnitude of investments in infrastructure during the next decade will provide unprecedented levels of opportunity for Latin American construction companies with the outlook for most companies in the industry being positive.

Venezuela received an enviable honour last month: OPEC said it is sitting on the biggest reserves of crude oil in the world – even more than Saudi Arabia. But the Venezuelan oil industry is also sitting atop a well of trouble.

Brazil's JBS SA, the world's biggest beef producer, reported a second-quarter net loss of 180.8 million Real (114 million dollars), reversing a year-ago gain as US performance suffered.

The Brazilian cities of Sao Paulo (19) and Rio do Janeiro (26), together with the Venezuelan capital Caracas (47) and Bogotá (57) Colombia, figure among the most expensive cities in Latin America, according to a bi-annual rating from the Swiss bank, UBS.

US universities continue to dominate the upper echelons of world rankings, taking 17 of the top 20 spots in the Shanghai Jiao Tong top 500 ranking. Five Brazilian, one Mexican and one Argentine figure among the 500 list.

The FEI (International Equestrian Federation) and the World Animal Health Organization (OIE) will jointly host a conference in Guadalajara, Mexico on 24 October focusing on modernizing international movement of horses in South America.