Two outgoing South American presidents have reached record popularity according to the latest January public opinion polls. They are Michelle Bachelet from Chile and Brazil’s Lula da Silva, both with plus eighty percentages.
Colombian president Alvaro Uribe continues to lead vote intention polls for next May presidential elections if the Constitutional Court finally authorizes a referendum on a second consecutive re-election of the popular leader.
The Roman Catholic Church warned Sunday that Cuba is on the verge of an economic collapse that can only be prevented if President Raul Castro institutes sweeping economic and social reforms.
Brazil sees a positive attitude and a good indication of “reconciliation” attempts by the recently inaugurated Honduran president Porfirio Lobo. “The new president acted in a politically positive manner when he negotiated a safe conduct for the deposed president, Manuel Zelaya”, said Foreign Affairs minister Celso Amorim.
Chilean teenagers are becoming obese due to increasing fast food consumption while those from Mexico, Venezuela and Guatemala are not far behind.
Australia announced last week the first tax treaty with Chile. Nick Sherry, Assistant Treasurer of Australia, announced that Australia and Chile had reached agreement on a new tax treaty. The proposed treaty, the first between the two countries, will reflect the economic, legal and cultural interests of each.
Haitian police have arrested 10 US nationals on suspicion of trying to illegally take 33 children abroad.
Chile is now competing with Spain for the right to host one of the most important astronomy projects the world has known: the extremely large E-ELT telescope.
Unemployment in Magallanes region, extreme south of Chile reached 5.3% during the last quarter of last year which represents an improvement over the previous quarter, 6.6%, but is double over the same period a year ago when it stood at 2.8%.
Chile’s Electoral Service, Servel cancelled the registry of seven political parties, among which the Communist Party for not having complied with the rule which demands a minimum 5% of valid votes of total turnout in last December 13 presidential election.