Latin America

• Saturday, October 23rd 2010 - 04:38 UTC

  Latam shoe industry calls for “united front” against China’s disloyal practices

  

  Latin America’s foot-wear industry are proposing a “united front” against what they describe as “disloyal trade practices” from China, as part of the Asian giant’s foreign trade policies.

• Saturday, October 23rd 2010 - 04:17 UTC

  Bolivian navy to have access to the Pacific for the first time in 130 years

  

  For the first time in more than 130 years, the Bolivian Navy will have access to the Pacific Ocean, after the heads of state of Bolivia and Peru signed an agreement to grant Bolivia access to the sea near the Peruvian port of Ilo.

• Saturday, October 23rd 2010 - 03:29 UTC

  Russia Gazprom joins France’s Total in Bolivian gas joint venture

  

  Russian energy company Gazprom has plans to take a 20% stake in natural gas projects in Bolivia, the gas monopoly said. Gazprom said it could take the stake under the terms of a September deal with French energy company Total for the Ipati and Aquio gas blocks in Bolivia.

• Friday, October 22nd 2010 - 05:42 UTC

  Chile cuts customs’ red tape to help exporters face stronger peso

  

  Chile will cut red tape on customs to help exporters hit by a strong peso as one measure to ease the effects of the currency's rapid appreciation, Finance Minister Felipe Larrain said on Thursday.

• Friday, October 22nd 2010 - 03:20 UTC

  Uruguayan parliament expected to approve Unasur protocol before 2011

  

  Uruguay’s Foreign Affairs minister Luis Almagro trusts parliament will ratify before the end of the year the Union of South American Nations, Unasur, protocol thus formally incorporating to the regional political and defence group. Uruguay’s legislative opposition does not support incorporation to Unasur.

• Friday, October 22nd 2010 - 03:03 UTC

  Business and government officials meet in China to promote Latam/Asia trade

  

  A thousand government officials and business executives from Latin America and the Caribbean, China, Japan and Korea participated Thursday in the opening session of the China-Latin American Caribbean Business Forum with high-ranking Chinese authorities and Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) executives.

• Friday, October 22nd 2010 - 02:58 UTC

  Morales says Bolivia will produce 30% of world’s lithium carbonate demand

  

  President Evo Morales said on Thursday that Bolivia does not need foreign investors to develop an ambitious lithium carbonate project by 2014.

• Friday, October 22nd 2010 - 02:28 UTC

  Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to Cuban dissident Guillermo Fariñas

  

  The European parliament has honoured prominent Cuban dissident Guillermo Fariñas, awarding him the prestigious Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The 48-year-old journalist has been honoured for his services to advancing human rights in Cuba.

• Friday, October 22nd 2010 - 02:18 UTC

  Ecuador signs two new service contracts with oil companies

  

  Ecuadorean president Rafael Correa said on Thursday the country had finished negotiations with two oil companies and planned to sign the new service contracts before November 23.

• Thursday, October 21st 2010 - 11:06 UTC

  Chilean companies become aware of business impact on freshwater resources

  

  Some companies in Chile have recently become involved in a movement to measure the impact of businesses on freshwater resources.