Politics

Friday, November 20th 2009 - 09:46 UTC
Chile’s presidential election: whoever wins, not much change

Chile has been Latin America’s success story since the 1980’s, boasting rapid economic growth, successful integration into the world economy, solid democratic institutions, an effective state bureaucracy, and low levels of crruption. By most standards, the country is far better off than the rest of the region.
Friday, November 20th 2009 - 08:45 UTC
Brazilian Senate calls on a “medium” to explain major blackout causes

Last week’s huge blackout in Brazil which left 18 of the country’s 26 states in the dark is becoming a major embarrassment for the government with opposition Senators summoning a medium to help explain the causes of the outage.
Friday, November 20th 2009 - 02:47 UTC
Uruguayan incumbent presidential candidate leads by 6 points in polls

With only ten days for the Uruguayan presidential run-off, incumbent candidate Jose Pepe Mujica leads with 48% vote intention while his rival Luis Alberto Lacalle stands at 42% and the undecided 10%, according to the latest public opinion poll released Thursday by a Montevideo newspaper.
Thursday, November 19th 2009 - 13:26 UTC
Russia opens its first embassy ever in Paraguay’s 200 year history

The Russian Federation has formally opened its first embassy in Paraguay’s 200 year history. Although there have been diplomatic relations the Russian ambassador was concurrent from Buenos Aires and only since two decades ago.
Thursday, November 19th 2009 - 13:23 UTC
Brazil/Argentina agree trade differences should not influence political relation

Brazil and Argentina ended Wednesday in Brasilia a full day of talks at presidential level without reaching a clear agreement on trade disputes that have caused disruptions to the bilateral relation.
Thursday, November 19th 2009 - 05:42 UTC
Israeli president Peres predicts the fall of Chavez and Ahmadinejad

Israel President Shimon Peres predicted on his last day tour of Argentina and Brazil that the people of Venezuela and Iran will make their leaders disappear before too long. Speaking at a forum in Buenos Aires, Peres said both Hugo Chavez and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have gone crazy over oil, which he said is not bad to sell but “really dangerous if you swallow it.”
Wednesday, November 18th 2009 - 14:22 UTC
Honduran Congress will not vote on Zelaya until after the elections

Congress in Honduras will not vote on whether to restore ousted President Manuel Zelaya until after elections this month, a senior lawmaker said.
Wednesday, November 18th 2009 - 14:13 UTC
The Mujica couple, if confirmed, promise an “austere and sober” government

Senator Lucia Topolansky, who would become Uruguay’s First Lady if her husband and incumbent presidential candidate Jose Mujica is confirmed in the run-off on November 29th promises to keep to an “austere and sober” style of government.
Wednesday, November 18th 2009 - 13:33 UTC
Praise for the British press for exposing MP’s expenses scandal

The head of Britain’s Press Complaints Commission has praised the exposure of Members of Parliament expenses claims - and said it showed the vital need to retain press freedom to investigate our “dysfunctional democracy”.
Wednesday, November 18th 2009 - 09:28 UTC
Chile in select group of eleven countries with insignificant mad-cow risk

Beginning Tuesday Chile belongs to the select group of eleven countries who have insignificant risk of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease. This places Chile among the nations with the best sanitary conditions on the planet.