Politics

• Friday, March 12th 2010 - 04:57 UTC

  Tremors cut short Piñera inauguration and decide his agenda

  

  It was to be a grand celebration, the conservatives had defeated the left leaning ruling coalition that has dominated Chilean politics since 1990 and they would be returning to office after more than half a century. But the party was not to be.

• Friday, March 12th 2010 - 00:56 UTC

  Piñera names tourism entrepreneur governor of Magallanes region

  

  Magallanes region in the extreme south of Chile has a new provincial governor, Liliana Kusanovic Marusic, a well known tourism entrepreneur in Punta Arenas who last year was distinguished among the top 100 “Women Leaders” of Chile.

• Thursday, March 11th 2010 - 23:41 UTC

  EU Parliament condemns “avoidable and cruel” death of Cuban political prisoner

  

  The European Parliament adopted a resolution on Thursday strongly condemning the “avoidable and cruel” death of Cuban political prisoner Orlando Zapata and voicing its concern at the “alarming state” of another prisoner, Guillermo Fariñas.

• Thursday, March 11th 2010 - 23:33 UTC

  Many governments use internet “to curtail freedom of expression”

  

  Many governments have used the internet to curtail freedom of expression at home, the US state department says in its latest annual human rights report.

• Thursday, March 11th 2010 - 04:46 UTC

  Conservative Piñera takes office with 59% of Chileans hopeful

  

  Chilean president elect Sebastián Piñera who takes office Thursday said the moment has come “to dry tears” and face the emergency in reference to the quake and tsunami follow-up which last Saturday devastated central Chile.

• Thursday, March 11th 2010 - 04:42 UTC

  Lula da Silva entangled in controversy over Cuban political prisoners

  

  Brazilian president Lula da Silva has become entangled in a controversy for having compared Cuban political prisoners with jailed criminals and was even severely criticized by members of his own party.

• Thursday, March 11th 2010 - 00:46 UTC

  Cristina Kirchner’s government has become an “embarrassment” for Argentina

  

  Former Argentine president Eduardo Duhalde (2002/03) accused the government of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner of being an “embarrassment” for Argentina and called for a drastic change of policies from “confrontation to one of understandings”.

• Thursday, March 11th 2010 - 00:37 UTC

  Argentine government blames Shell and Petrobras for gasoline shortage

  

  Argentina's government accused energy companies Royal Dutch Shell and Petrobras on Wednesday of deliberately causing gasoline shortages in order to force rival YPF to raise its prices.

• Thursday, March 11th 2010 - 00:34 UTC

  Morales party set to win in Bolivia’s April regional elections

  

  The ruling party of President Evo Morales, Movement towards Socialism, MAS, is set to win the coming April regional elections with victories in six of the nine departments (provinces) in which the country is divided, according to the latest public opinion poll published by La Paz main daily La Razon.

• Wednesday, March 10th 2010 - 23:10 UTC

  Minister Bryant at Piñera’ inauguration praises Chilean resilience

  

  British Foreign Office Minister Chris Bryant visits Chile for the inauguration of President-elect Sebastian Piñera, Thursday March 11 and to see areas of Chile affected by the recent earthquake.