Politics

• Monday, December 3rd 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Fidel Castro readies to play the role of elder statesman

  

  Cuban leader Fidel Castro who is recovering from a long illness was nominated Sunday for a seat in the National Assembly opening the way for him to resume governing.

• Monday, December 3rd 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Mercosur summit host Uruguay, sends critical message

  

  Uruguay is disenchanted with Mercosur because national interests and market segmentations prevail over the original idea and the block “has not functioned as it was supposed to” admitted Carlos Amorin, head of Uruguay's Foreign Office Integration and Mercosur Desk.

• Sunday, December 2nd 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Venezuela votes on drastic political and property changes

  

  A referendum is being held in Venezuela today to decide on a constitutional amendments that would give President Hugo Chávez more power. One of the changes would make it possible for the president to be re-elected for an unlimited number of terms.

• Sunday, December 2nd 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Colombian hostage 'living like the dead' describes Betancourt

  

  A former presidential candidate held by leftist rebels describes in an emotional letter how she has lost her hair, appetite and hope after nearly six years constantly on the move in Colombia's jungles.

• Sunday, December 2nd 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Uruguay hosts Mercosur leaders and Russia's Putin Dec. 17

  

  When the leaders of the countries in the Mercosur economic alliance meet in the Uruguay capital, it's likely President Vladimir Putin will be joining them to mark the 150th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and Uruguay. Putin's attendance could draw Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to the summit

• Sunday, December 2nd 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentine pulp mill pickets financed by local government

  Argentine municipal and provincial governments are helping finance the pickets protesting the construction of a pulp mill in neighboring Uruguay along the coast of a shared border river, was confirmed by officials.

• Sunday, December 2nd 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Mercosur has become “irrelevant” and “too complicated”

  

  “Mercosur has become irrelevant and too complicated, and even more when Venezuela is finally incorporated to the block”, said former Brazilian Foreign Finance minister Mailson da Nobrega during a bankers and businessmen conference in Geneva to promote investments in Brazil.

• Sunday, December 2nd 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentina and Chile celebrate Antarctic waters joint patrol

  

  Argentine and Chilean navies celebrated last Friday in Ushuaia the tenth anniversary of the combined Antarctic Naval Patrol which during summer months is jointly deployed in Antarctic waters.

• Saturday, December 1st 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  No end to “economic emergency” rule under the Kirchners

  

  Argentina's Lower House Budget Committee gave this week majority support to the extension of the controversial Economic Emergency Act, passed during the 2002 crisis, until December, 2008.

• Saturday, December 1st 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Human rights experts alarmed by Venezuelan reforms

  Three independent United Nations human rights experts on Friday voiced concern about planned constitutional reforms in Venezuela, saying the proposed changes could curb civil liberties and breach the South American country's international treaty commitments.