Politics

• Tuesday, September 22nd 2009 - 12:52 UTC

  Chile’s Bachelet sets approval record, but not the incumbent candidate

  

  With just three months left before leaving office, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet continues to set new records for job approval and support. But coalition’s replacement hopeful, Senator Eduardo Frei, isn’t so fortunate.

• Tuesday, September 22nd 2009 - 12:48 UTC

  Uruguayan farmers demand fewer taxes and less Mercosur commitments

  

  Uruguay’s main agriculture show ended Sunday with a record number of visitors and harsh criticisms for the government: Farmers complained bitterly about the ballooning fiscal expenditure, taxes and demanded a broadening of horizons beyond Mercosur.

• Tuesday, September 22nd 2009 - 07:17 UTC

  Chile’s military parade breaks records, including women participation

  

  Chile’s annual September 19 Armed Forces military parade broke records this year. The event was the largest of its kind ever, showcasing 131 Air Force airplanes for the commencement ceremonies and with 11,000 Armed Forces personnel participating.

• Tuesday, September 22nd 2009 - 05:34 UTC

  Ousted Zelaya in back in Honduras and calls for dialogue

  

  Ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya has returned to his country, nearly three months after being deposed. Mr Zelaya has sought refuge inside the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa, and has called on supporters who gathered in the streets to go to the embassy.

• Monday, September 21st 2009 - 21:22 UTC

  Uruguay denies harmful river pollution:“the right pulp mill at the right place”

  

  Uruguay denied on Monday Argentina's claims at the International Court of The Hague that a pulp mill on a river separating the two countries is polluting the air and water, saying it meets environmental protection standards.

• Monday, September 21st 2009 - 11:34 UTC

  “Peace without Borders” concert in Havana breaks all records

  

  A million people packed a main square in the Cuban capital Havana Sunday to witness a rare and ambitious concert that, despite its nonpolitical theme, drew criticism from some Cuban exiles in the United States.

• Monday, September 21st 2009 - 11:31 UTC

  Argentina announces formal negotiations with the Club of Paris

  

  Argentina’s Economy minister Amado Boudou meets this week with its French peer Christine Lagarde for the resumption of negotiations with the Club of Paris. The meeting will take place previous to the G-20 presidential summit in Pittsburgh.

• Monday, September 21st 2009 - 11:26 UTC

  Malvinas families trip to the Falklands “end of a long mourning period”

  

  The coming trip to the Falkland Islands for the official inauguration of the memorial at the Argentine cemetery in Darwin, “somehow represents the end of a long mourning period”, but at the same time “re-signifies the strong meaning that the Malvinas have for the Argentine people”, said Cesar Trejo representative of the Malvinas Families Commission.

• Monday, September 21st 2009 - 11:12 UTC

  Colombian government/FARC agree on hostages’ liberation

  

  Colombian President Alvaro Uribe agreed to demands from next of kin of hostages held by the FARC rebels and will accept the release of kidnapped policemen and soldiers one at a time rather than all at once, a reversal in government policy that could speed up releases.

• Monday, September 21st 2009 - 08:37 UTC

  Lula da Silva denies arms race and justifies investment in defence

  

  Brazilian president Lula da Silva denied South America had embarked in an arms race and justified purchases by Brazil, Chile, Venezuela and Colombia the four countries at the forefront of military hardware expenditure.