Politics

• Thursday, July 25th 2013 - 02:08 UTC

  From Brazil’s largest basilica Pope Francis calls on young people to shun the idols of money and pleasure

  

  Pope Francis held his first mass as a pontiff at the Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida in Sao Paulo before thousands of faithful who gathered despite de cold and the rain. During the Wednesday mass, Pope Francis urged young people to shun the “ephemeral idols” of money and pleasure and cherish traditional values to help build a better world.

• Wednesday, July 24th 2013 - 20:52 UTC

  Foreigners own 6% of rural land in Argentina, equivalent to 15.8 million hectares

  

  A total of 5.93% of rural land in Argentina is foreign-owned President Cristina Fernández announced which amounts to 15.8 million hectares. During a speech at Government House, Justice Secretary Julián Alvarez presented a survey that is a prelude to the full implementation of the Law 26,737 on Rural Lands (Ley de Tierras Rurales) passed in 2011 to place a 15% limit on foreign ownership of rural land in Argentina.

• Wednesday, July 24th 2013 - 20:47 UTC

  Latam and Caribbean poised to grow 3% this year; poor performance from Brazil and Mexico

  

  Latinamerica and the Caribbean are poised to grow 3% this year, according to the July Economic Survey of Latin America and the Caribbean, which is down from the previous April estimate of 3.5%. Slower growth in the region’s two largest economies Brazil and Mexico, and more modest activity in Chile, Panama and Peru have pulled the average down.

• Wednesday, July 24th 2013 - 07:34 UTC

  Paraguay ready to return to Mercosur but is talking trade with Mexico, US and the Pacific Alliance

  

  Paraguay is ready to return to Mercosur as long as there is respect the country’s dignity, but at the same time will look for other trade and cooperation opportunities with Mexico, United States and the Pacific Alliance, said the Paraguayan ambassador in Washington.

• Wednesday, July 24th 2013 - 07:29 UTC

  Argentina/Brazil trade disputes reached a ‘furious level’ during Mercosur last summit in Montevideo

  

  International issues helped Mercosur to close ranks and give a false image of unity during the last summit held in Uruguay, according to diplomatic sources in Montevideo that are surfacing details of a bitter exchange behind doors between Argentina’s Cristina Fernandez and Brazil’s Dilma Rousseff.

• Wednesday, July 24th 2013 - 07:25 UTC

  Paraguay greets Insulza and thanks OAS support during June 2012 political events

  

  The Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary General, José Miguel Insulza, met with Paraguayan president Federico Franco at the start of his two-day official visit to Asunción.

• Wednesday, July 24th 2013 - 07:23 UTC

  Rio subway breakdown adds to Monday’s security lapses in Pope Francis visit

  

  Rio de Janeiro's subway broke down on Tuesday, causing chaos for throngs of pilgrims in town for a huge Catholic gathering and a papal visit already marked by security lapses. Crowds of people crammed into buses, scrambled to find taxis or began walking toward Copacabana beach for an evening mass to officially kick off World Youth Day.

• Wednesday, July 24th 2013 - 07:19 UTC

  Mass with 400.000 Catholics in Copacabana beach marks opening of World Youth Day

  

  Around 400,000 Roman Catholics have joined a Tuesday evening ceremony on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro to mark the opening of World Youth Day. The highlight of the festival will be a visit on Thursday by Pope Francis.

• Wednesday, July 24th 2013 - 07:15 UTC

  Mujica flies to Havana to meet the Castro brothers and celebrate 60 years of Cuba’s revolution

  

  Uruguayan president and former guerrilla Jose Mujica left Tuesday night for Cuba where he is scheduled to hold meetings with President Raul Castro, the revolution leader Fidel Castro and attend the celebrations of the sixtieth anniversary of the assault on the Moncada military fort.

• Wednesday, July 24th 2013 - 07:09 UTC

  Cristina Fernandez candidate for Army Chief questioned over human rights record

  

  Argentine President Cristina Fernandez has defended the designation of César Milani as head of the Armed Forces, and complained that “those who previously voted for the Due Obedience and Final Stop laws put in doubt” her administration's “human rights record”.