An Argentine federal court handed down life sentences on Dec. 19 to former Buenos Aires province interior minister Jaime Smart (1976-1979), former Buenos Aires province police investigations director Miguel Osvaldo Etchecolatz and 14 former police and military personnel for genocide and crimes against humanity in the cases of 280 people detained during the 1976-1983 “dirty war” against suspected leftists.
The disruption of shipping and tourism in Argentina and the Falkland Islands reached the British Parliament and was addressed by Foreign Office officials who said the UK regrets the Argentine attitude but is also holding talks with international partners that share concerns about illegitimate interferences, and with the cruise industry.
According to reports in the Argentine media, the nationalized Argentine oil company YPF, formerly owned by Spain's Repsol, will be teaming up with Venezuelan oil giant PDVSA to explore the continental shelf around the Falkland/Malvinas Islands for oil.
Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa announced a 9% increase in the minimum wage for private-sector workers for 2013, a move that may help consolidate his February re-election bid that polls broadly show him favoured to win.
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Argentina has lost its limits and references, and this was dramatically expressed these last few days says Joaquin Morales Solá, one of the country’s most respected political analysts, when the looting and rioting extended from Resistencia to the north next to Paraguay, to Bariloche in Patagonia.
Argentine dissident organized labour leader Hugo Moyano claimed on Friday that President Cristina Fernandez is out of touch with the people and “the lackeys she has are scared of her and can only say stupid things”. Moyano’s strong words followed accusations by the government that he was behind the extended rioting and looting that hit several Argentine cities on Thursday and Friday.
Argentina strongly protested on Friday Britain's decision to name a vast swath of Antarctica as Queen Elizabeth Land. The Foreign ministry handed a formal protest note to British Ambassador John Freeman in Buenos Aires.
The World Bank's arbitration unit has agreed to hear a complaint by Spanish oil firm Repsol over Argentina's nationalization of the company's former energy affiliate YPF.
US President Barack Obama has nominated Senator John Kerry to succeed Hillary Clinton as his next secretary of state. Mr Obama said Mr Kerry's “entire life” prepared him for the role, and praised him for the “respect and confidence” he has earned from world leaders.