
Argentina’s National Securities Commission, CNV, announced on Thursday that it will inform UK regulatory authorities on the legal actions to be undertaken by the Argentine state against oil companies “illegally operating in the Malvinas Islands”.

Argentine president Cristina Fernandez will be leading on Friday a massive demonstration of support in a Buenos Aires stadium in the midst of an international controversy over the seizure of 51% of YPF from Spain’s oil conglomerate Repsol.

As was anticipated in the Argentine 2012 Budget the government is appealing to Central Bank reserves to pay sovereign debts. According to a resolution published in the Official Gazette, a Treasury bill equivalent to 5.674 billion dollars will be repaid to the bank in several instalments during ten years.

US Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Roberta Jacobson asked Argentina to go back to having a “positive” relationship with the international financial community and its creditors.

Venezuelan journalist Nelson Bocaranda said that for the first time President Hugo Chavez is thinking of naming his faithful Foreign Affairs minister Nicolas Maduro as his successor, given the seriousness of the cancer the leader is suffering.

European Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said Argentina is in for long term consequences after sending “shockwaves” internationally with the announced plans to expropriate 51% of YPF shares owned by Spain-based Repsol oil and gas company.

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who has emerged as a kingmaker in France's presidential race, sought to wrest concessions from President Nicolas Sarkozy by challenging him not to bar her party's way in parliamentary elections.

Committees of Argentina’s Lower House of Congress began a plenary session on Thursday in order to clear the YPF expropriation bill for debate, which was approved early morning by the Senate.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez returned home after 11 days of cancer treatment in Cuba as the state television showed images of the Head of State chatting with his vice president and other aides after arriving at Caracas' international airport early Thursday.

The IMF warned Latin America on Wednesday that favourable economic conditions are not for ever and called on the region’s countries to “rebuild defences” ahead of an uncertain economic future.