Politics

• Wednesday, October 21st 2009 - 02:48 UTC

  South America: An Analysis of Arms Races and Regional Geopolitics

  

  In mid-September, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton critiqued Venezuela’s leader Hugo Chavez for his ongoing purchases of mostly Russian military equipment, arguing that this could trigger an arms race in South America. The statement has added fuel to the ongoing discussions about what form South America’s rearmament is taking and what this could come to mean for the security of the region.

• Tuesday, October 20th 2009 - 16:49 UTC

  A much awaited picture to seal unity in Uruguay’s ruling coalition

  

  A much awaited brief but significant embrace between the two main leaders of Uruguay’s ruling coalition took place Monday in the port of Montevideo, an event which should help the incumbent candidate in the run up to Sunday’s presidential election.

• Tuesday, October 20th 2009 - 11:32 UTC

  Uruguayan Court throws out special amnesty for crimes under dictatorship

  

  Uruguay’s Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional a law that exempted military and police personnel involved in human rights abuses during the country’s military dictatorship which extended from June 1973 to March 1985.

• Tuesday, October 20th 2009 - 11:21 UTC

  Argentine government regrets incident suffered by US ambassador

  

  Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner regretted last week’s incidents suffered by United States ambassador Vilma Martinez and said “in all places there are always intolerants”.

• Tuesday, October 20th 2009 - 08:03 UTC

  Lula da Silva promises a million new formal jobs in 2009

  

  President Lula da Silva said Brazil would end this year with a million new formal jobs and in 2010 the economy will expand 5%. Speaking at his program “Breakfast with the President”, Lula da Silva announced that 252.000 jobs had been created in September which means 2009 will end “with a million new formal jobs”.

• Tuesday, October 20th 2009 - 07:59 UTC

  Colombian president Uribe’s re-re-election is “in God’s hands”

  

  Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said that whether he is re-elected for a third running mandate is “in God's hands”, but he does not want future generations to think that he was attached to power, reported Bogotá’s newspaper El Espectador.

• Tuesday, October 20th 2009 - 07:48 UTC

  Gorbachov blasts Russian electoral system as a “joke”

  

  Mijail Gorbachov, the last Soviet president launched on Monday the strongest attack yet on Russian democracy saying that elections are a “joke” and the whole system is flawed.

• Tuesday, October 20th 2009 - 06:04 UTC

  Foreign Office praise to Falklands on ‘successful’ next of kin visits

  

  A senior British Minister has congratulated those in the Falkland Islands involved in the Argentine next of kin visits saying, “…undoubtedly the visits can be considered a success.”

• Monday, October 19th 2009 - 13:09 UTC

  Uruguayan presidential hopefuls in their last sprint

  

  In the run up to next Sunday’s general election, Uruguayan presidential candidates were involved in a flurry of political rallies in the capital Montevideo, turning the city into a stage of colourful marches and flag waving to the tune of the candidates’ jingles and musical backup.

• Monday, October 19th 2009 - 12:43 UTC

  Row with Paraguayan senate threatens Venezuela’s incorporation to Mercosur

  

  Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez has infuriated Paraguayan congress arguing that with the excuse of Bolivia’s “rearmament” they are conspiring to oust President Fernando Lugo, statements that could further delay Venezuela’s Mercosur incorporation process.