Brazil, Peru and Uruguay are forecasted to expand 5% or more next year according to the Preliminary Balance from the Economic Commission for Latinamerica and the Caribbean, Eclac, released Thursday in Santiago de Chile.
Peruvian president Alan García defended his government’s decision to purchase Chinese tanks and Brazilian fighter planes just a few weeks after accusing Chile of an arms race and proposing an initiative to limit military expenditure in the region.
Chile reaffirmed Thursday that the country’s oil corporation Enap has no plans or prospects of exploring for oil in the Malvinas Islands maritime territory or any form of association with Falkland Oil and Gas Limited.
Chile's police force (Carabineros) this week outlined plans to protect the eight million voters expected to participate in Sunday's presidential election. Over 35,000 officers will be mobilized nationwide to ensure the election takes place smoothly, with Carabineros giving special attention to possible anarchist bomb threats.
The latest poll published in Santiago just four days before Chileans elect their next president - confirms billionaire businessman Sebastian Piñera as the heads-on favourite to win next Sunday’s vote.
Senior executives from Falkland Oil and Gas Limited (FOGL), which operates in the Falkland Islands, where it just announced the existence of significant oil reserves tempted Chile's State Oil Company (ENAP) into entering the business to help them explore and develop a 49,000 square meter basin in the South Atlantic.
Chilean officials expect sustained growth from the aquaculture sector with exports reaching 4 billion US dollars by 2015. Currently Chile’s main aquaculture export product is salmon with overseas sales in 2008 of 2.4 billion USD. The private sector however does not share the enthusiasm.
A recent Gallup poll surveying Latinamerican perceptions of Barack Obama found that the US President’s strongest support comes from Chile, where 72% of those polled have a favourable image of him.
Recently nominated United States Assistant Secretary of State Arturo Valenzuela will be making his first trip to the region next week with visits to Mercosur full members, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, reported the US State Department.
The political coincidences of the two-day Mercosur presidential summit held in Montevideo overshadowed the lack of relevant decisions for the consolidation of the block as a customs union, according to Brazilian sources.