Politics

• Wednesday, December 11th 2013 - 00:02 UTC

  Santos says a 'cease fire' only when FARC signs the peace agreement

  

  Colombia's main leftist guerrilla group, the FARC, said today it would implement a 30-day ceasefire from December 15 while the government said it would keep pursuing the rebels after they attacked a police station killing eight.

• Wednesday, December 11th 2013 - 00:00 UTC

  World and FIFA shocked by violent incidents at a Brazilian championship match

  

  Shocking violence at a Brazilian championship match is not an indication of what can be expected when the South American country hosts next year's World Cup, FIFA and Brazilian government officials have declared.

• Tuesday, December 10th 2013 - 22:43 UTC

  Pacific Alliance conference on preventing corruption in public infrastructure projects

  

  With the support of the British Embassies in Peru, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica and Chile, representatives of these countries will participate in a meeting, focused on how to prevent unlawful practices in public infrastructure construction projects.

• Tuesday, December 10th 2013 - 22:41 UTC

  Argentina's police strike and looting: a blend of inflation, corruption, impunity and social division

  

  The rash of looting and rioting which has spread to most of Argentina's provinces as the police went on strike or protest demanding better pay and working conditions has taken the political system by surprise, which has been slow in reacting to the gravity of the situation.

• Tuesday, December 10th 2013 - 06:11 UTC

  Argentina fears more massive protest and looting on anniversary of 2001 economy meltdown

  

  While facing the challenge of police unrest that has spread to half of the Argentine provinces the government of President Cristina Fernandez is designing a plan to counter the threat of further rioting and looting on 20 December, the anniversary of the worst day of the 2001 crisis which forced the resignation of then elected president Fernando de la Rúa and was followed by the largest sovereign debt default in Argentine history.

• Tuesday, December 10th 2013 - 06:07 UTC

  Paraguayan Senate ready to vote incorporation of Venezuela to Mercosur

  

  The Paraguayan Senate is expected to vote this Tuesday the incorporation of Venezuela to Mercosur as full member in an extraordinary meeting, according to Senator Julio César Velázquez from the ruling party. To have the Venezuelan protocol approved 23 out of 45 Senators have to lift their hands, but according to previous surveys only 15 are expected to dissent.

• Monday, December 9th 2013 - 19:04 UTC

  As protests spread, Argentine government yields to police forces demands

  

  The Argentine police crisis in demand for higher salaries and better working conditions and which prompted protests and further lootings in several provinces last week and during the weekend rapidly spread on Monday to other districts.

• Monday, December 9th 2013 - 16:57 UTC

  Election confirms Venezuelan remains split and with no reconciliation on sight

  

  Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro declared victory in municipal elections as his ruling Socialists won a majority of votes nationwide on Sunday, even though they lost to the opposition in five key cities. He also pledged to deepen his “economic offensive” to force businesses to cut prices, which was a turning point in his campaign.

• Monday, December 9th 2013 - 14:28 UTC

  Gibraltar in a list of potential “risks or threats” to Spain's maritime security strategy

  

  The Spanish Government has included Gibraltar in a list of potential ‘risks or threats’ to its national maritime security. The claim is contained in a single paragraph of a new 48-page national maritime security strategy policy approved by the Spain’s National Security Council last Thursday.

• Monday, December 9th 2013 - 14:09 UTC

  Chilean presidential debate first round favors under-dog Matthei

  

  Evelyn Matthei of the right-wing Independent Democratic Union (UDI) and Michelle Bachelet of the left-leaning Socialist Party (PS) partook in their opening head-to-head presidential debate, as for the first campaign in Latin American history two women compete against each other in a presidential election second round.