Latin America

• Sunday, May 22nd 2011 - 22:46 UTC

  Argentina and Peru main recipients of Chilean investments in services sector

  

  Argentina and Peru are the top recipients of Chilean overseas investments in the service sector according to report released last week covering a two decade period from 1990 to 2010.

• Sunday, May 22nd 2011 - 22:25 UTC

  The HydroAysén project and why Chile’s old institutional order can’t cope with change

  

  By José Aylwin - The Santiago Times Publisher Steve Anderson’s editorial note: There are many reasons for the ongoing Chilean national anguish about the US$7.5 billion HidroAysén dam in Patagonia and transmission line project.

• Sunday, May 22nd 2011 - 13:17 UTC

  Catholic Church points to politicians on corruption and discredited institutions

  

  The Latin America Catholic Church Episcopal Council, Celam, sent a strong message to the political establishment saying it is painful to see so many people victims of the narcotics trade and so many young people disenchanted with institutions because of corruption. Celam held its XXXIII two-day Ordinary Assembly in Montevideo.

• Sunday, May 22nd 2011 - 12:40 UTC

  Rousseff’s main advisor describes Brazil/Argentina relations as “fine”

  

  Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff's international affairs advisor Marco Aurélio García lowered the tone of the trade conflict with Argentina and said that the relationship between both countries “is fine” despite the trade barriers that Brazil imposed on the import of Argentine cars.

• Saturday, May 21st 2011 - 03:09 UTC

  EU and Latam lawmakers more positive about a trade agreement with Mercosur

  

  The outcome of a two-day European and Latin America lawmakers’ meeting in Uruguay was considered very positive and a strong message to forward negotiations on the sensitive EU/Mercosur trade and cooperation agreement.

• Friday, May 20th 2011 - 10:42 UTC

  Piñera submits bill to repeal financing military expenditure with copper exports

  

  Chilean President Sebastián Piñera signed a bill which, if approved by Congress, would eliminate a substantial source of revenue for Chile’s Armed Forces. Under current legislation, 10% of all export revenues from Chile’s National Copper Corporation (CODELCO) are directed to the Superior Council of National Defence, to be spent on weaponry and equipment.

• Friday, May 20th 2011 - 10:24 UTC

  Uruguayan airline Pluna planning to open new domestic routes in Chile

  

  For years LAN Chile has dominated the Chilean airways, but recent reports suggest Uruguayan based airline Pluna is hoping to open up new domestic flights within Chile, increasing the competition already offered by Sky airlines and PAL airlines.

• Thursday, May 19th 2011 - 21:47 UTC

  Central banks in ‘gold rush’ to diversify reserves

  

  Mexico, Russia and Thailand added gold now valued at about 6 billion US dollars to their reserves in the first quarter of 2011 as metal prices advanced to a record, the dollar weakened and US Treasuries lost investors money.

• Thursday, May 19th 2011 - 19:22 UTC

  Ecuador’s Correa wins vote for judicial and media reforms

  

  President Rafael Correa won Ecuador's vote on judicial and media reforms, but by a smaller margin than forecast, near-final results showed on Wednesday evening.

• Thursday, May 19th 2011 - 10:33 UTC

  America’s glossed decade

  

  By Andres Velasco, Former Finance Minister of Chile.
  The Inter-American Development Bank declared last July that this would be “Latin America’s Decade.” A couple of months later, The Economist endorsed that idea, which has since been repeated by countless apologists and experts.