Politics

Tuesday, February 8th 2011 - 01:18 UTC
Brazil reaffirms links with Venezuela; calls for quick Mercosur integration

Brazil expects Venezuela’s full incorporation to Mercosur to be approved “soon” said Foreign Affairs minister Antonio Patriota during a meeting on Monday in Caracas with his peer Nicolas Maduro in Caracas to reaffirm strong bilateral links.
Tuesday, February 8th 2011 - 01:08 UTC
EU top official says “this is the moment” for a trade agreement with Mercosur

European Union Trade commissioner Karel de Gutch said Monday he strongly believes the EU will reach a trade agreement with Mercosur because “this is the moment” and both sides are committed to conclude negotiations positively.
Monday, February 7th 2011 - 20:54 UTC
Geithner implicitly endorses “capital controls” during Brazilian visit

US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner reached out to Brazil by citing a shared concern - China - and endorsing Brazil's approach for dealing with global economic distortions.
Monday, February 7th 2011 - 20:41 UTC
Argentina conditions luxury car imports to deals with Mercosur auto-parts industry

Argentina has stopped the import of high-class luxury cars and redoubled efforts to convince companies with no assembly plants in Mercosur to reduce imports and reach export agreements with Argentine auto parts industry.
Monday, February 7th 2011 - 19:50 UTC
British PM David Cameron “the doctrine of state multiculturalism has failed”

Britain’s Prime Minister identified segregation and separatism as key issues behind the threat of Islamic extremism and called for a “shared national identity”.
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference PM Cameron stressed the difference between Islam as a religion and Islamic extremism as a political ideology, and said that Western countries need to confront extremism rather than practice a “hands-off tolerance”.
Monday, February 7th 2011 - 18:22 UTC
Toledo consolidates as main candidate for Peru’s presidential election in April

Former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo has extended his lead ahead of 10 April’s presidential election with Keiko Fujimori possibly disputing the second round, according to a public opinion poll by Lima-based Datum International.
Monday, February 7th 2011 - 18:07 UTC
US condemns South American/Arab leaders summits, say Wikileaks cables

Brazilian policy towards Middle East and the Arab world harm US strategy in the region according to US embassy diplomatic cables between 2004 and 2009, recently exposed by Wikleaks.
Monday, February 7th 2011 - 16:41 UTC
High level talks with Chile for a Pacific outlet for landlocked Bolivia

Chile and Bolivia begin talks Monday in La Paz on a 13 point agenda agreed in 2006 and which among other issues includes the landlocked country’s aspiration to recover its outlet to the Pacific lost during a regional war in 1879.
Monday, February 7th 2011 - 14:09 UTC
“The show must go on” promise Rio Carnival groups in spite of blaze

A fire has broken out in the carnival district, Samba city, of the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, destroying warehouses where floats are made, reports say. At least four warehouses, a samba school and a carnival museum have been damaged in the blaze at Samba City.
Monday, February 7th 2011 - 14:06 UTC
Rio do Janeiro police take hold of favelas in early operation with no shots fired

Rio do Janeiro police with the support of the Navy, other security agencies and armoured personnel vehicles in an flash operation on Sunday occupied nine “favelas,” or shantytowns dominated by drug gangs and did so “without a single shot,” officials said.