Latin America

• Tuesday, April 26th 2011 - 02:20 UTC

  Pacific accord “no conflict” for Mercosur or Unasur, says Brazil

  

  The pro-business block initiative that will be signed this week by Pacific countries leaders from Chile, Peru, Mexico and Colombia presents no potential conflict for Brazil or Mercosur said on Monday the Brazilian Foreign Affairs ministry.

• Monday, April 25th 2011 - 07:45 UTC

  Pro business Peru, Colombia, Chile and Mexico to sign Pacific Agreement

  

  Peruvian president Alan Garcia will be hosting this week his peers from Colombia, Chile and Mexico to subscribe the so-called Pacific (Ocean) Agreement with the purpose of integrating the four countries economies.

• Monday, April 25th 2011 - 06:59 UTC

  Chavez, with eyes on his 2012 re-election bid, hikes oil windfall tax

  

  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez hiked an oil windfall tax in a move that raises government income ahead of the 2012 presidential election, but puts a heavy load on oil companies.

• Monday, April 25th 2011 - 06:38 UTC

  Santiago, Lima and Monterrey, top three Latin American cities of the future

  

  New York City followed by Chicago and Houston rank top in the first ever 'American Cities of the Future' ranking compiled by fDi Magazine, belonging to the Financial Times group. Santiago de Chile, Lima (Peru) and Monterrey (Mexico) snatched the top three positions in the Latin America city ranking.

• Monday, April 25th 2011 - 06:28 UTC

  Mexico antitrust commission slaps 1 billion USD fine on mobile phone operator

  

  Mexico's antitrust commission confirmed Sunday that it has fined the country's biggest mobile phone operator over 1 billion US dollars on grounds that it used its market weight and interconnection fees to displace competitors.

• Monday, April 25th 2011 - 06:18 UTC

  Scientific studies reveal Chile’s most active fault lines and warning for major projects

  

  New studies undertaken by Universidad Católica and Universidad de Chile have identified the five most active fault lines in Chile in the hopes of protecting people from future earthquake damage.

• Monday, April 25th 2011 - 06:07 UTC

  Mining and energy concentrate most investments in Chile in record year 2010

  

  Estimated investment in Chile reached a total of US$130 billion during 2010, including US$42.7 billion in potential investments. This total marks a rise of 16% from 2009, according to Sofofa. Last year’s figures are the highest in five years.

• Sunday, April 24th 2011 - 01:30 UTC

  Venezuela formally exits Andean nations and waits for Mercosur incorporation

  

  Venezuela formally exited the Andean Community of Nations, CAN, Friday when it stopped belonging to the free trade zone which for 38 years eliminated a full range of tariffs among its members (Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Colombia), announced the Venezuelan Foreign Affairs ministry.

• Friday, April 22nd 2011 - 05:15 UTC

  Argentine lawmakers bring up ‘Malvinas issue’ at Inter-Parliamentary Union

  

  Argentine and British lawmakers held a bilateral meeting in the framework of the Inter Parliamentary Union 124th meeting which took place in Panama, according to Argentine sources.

• Friday, April 22nd 2011 - 05:13 UTC

  Chilean Army clearing antitank and antipersonnel mine fields in Tierra del Fuego

  

  The Chilean Army is currently clearing four fields planted with anti-personnel mines in Tierra del Fuego and will move to another four once the job is finalized, reported the Commander Gonzalo Echeverria, from the 5th Engineers Battalion seated in Punta Arenas.