Bolivia’s re-elected president Evo Morales ratified his sweeping victory on December 6 general election when he was supported by 64.2% of the vote, according to the final vote count from the country’s Electoral Court.
The European Union, United States and the Organization of American States condemned the killing of Colombian governor Luis Francisco Cuellar, which has been attributed to the Marxist-inspired, drugs-funded Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, FARC, the oldest guerrilla grouping operating in the country.
The body of Luis Francisco Cuellar Carvajal, governor of the Colombian department of Caqueta, was discovered Tuesday not far from where he was kidnapped the night before, government spokesperson Wilmer Rua said.
Uruguay surprised markets with a 175 basic point rate cut to 6.25% from 8.00% amid expectations of lower inflation. The central bank also decided to reduce the inflation target fluctuation for the next 18 months from 3 to 7%, to 4% and 6%.
Argentina’s November primary fiscal surplus increased sharply over a year ago, 46.2%, reflecting a better performance of the country’s economy, pointed out Economy minister Amado Boudou confirming what President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner had anticipated on Monday.
Brazil’s Central bank is ready to act preventively to fight inflation after it forecast growth in 2010 will accelerate to the fastest in three years, triggering above-target inflation, said Mario Mesquita, the bank’s Economic policy director.
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe is offering the equivalent of almost half a million US dollars reward for information leading to the rescue of a governor snatched from his home Monday night by a guerrilla commando unit dressed in army uniforms. He also asked for the recovery of 24 military, captives of the guerrilla.
The Royal Air Force has signed a contract for the seventh C17 aircraft the UK Ministry of Defence announced Tuesday. The new strategic transport aircraft will add to a fleet that has seen heavy usage during recent operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
An elite team of British soldiers beat Special Forces from around the world to win a grueling competition in the driest place on Earth, repots Daily Record.co.uk. The eight-man unit from the Highlanders (4 Scots) picked up the gold medal in the Chilean Patrol Competition before their recent deployment to the Falkland Islands.
A third credit ratings agency has downgraded Greek government bonds over concerns about the country's ability to reduce its high levels of debt. Moody's is the third of the three major international agencies to downgrade Greece, following similar moves by Fitch and Standard & Poor's.