With only a few days left for next Sunday's runoff in Chile's presidential election two factors have become decisive and a challenge for the two hopefuls, opposition candidate conservative Sebastian Piñera, and Alejandro Guillier, the incumbent, reluctantly accepted by the current system in office.
The recent calving of a large iceberg from a southern Chilean glacier threatens local ship navigation and could result in flooding for coastal communities, experts said. An iceberg measuring some 350 by 380 meters broke from the Grey glacier in far southern Chile in late November.
Bank of Nova Scotia is pushing deeper into Latin America with a US$2.2-billion bid for control of a Chilean rival, looking to ignite its growth as the bank's fourth-quarter profit edged higher but missed expectations.
The strong performance by Chile’s left-wing parties in Sunday’s election left conservative presidential frontrunner Sebastian Piñera facing a tight battle to win a December runoff and likely opposition to tax breaks in Congress if elected. Piñera came first with more than 36% of the vote, but his two main leftist rivals made a stronger-than-expected showing, garnering a combined 43% between them.
Chilean markets and investors did not like Sunday's election results: the Peso currency and benchmark IPSA stock index fell on Monday after market-friendly presidential candidate Sebastian Piñera garnered less support than expected in the country's election.
Fernando Matthei Chile's ex commander of the Air Force and member of the military Junta, led by Augusto Pinchet, died on Sunday at the age of 92. The former pilot, was the father of Evelyn Matthei, who run and lost against Michelle Bachelet in the 2013 presidential election and since 2016 is mayor of Providencia, one of the main districts fo the capital Santiago.
Conservative Sebastian Piñera, who held a commanding lead in Chile's first round of presidential voting, and leftist former TV journalist Alejandro Guillier will contest a runoff next month. Ex-president Piñera had a 36.6% lead to Guillier's 22.7% with more than 98% of the votes, --of a very low turnout, 46.6%--, counted after the first round.
On Sunday, Chileans will choose a new president that will rule the country for the 2018-2022 pereriod replacing current president, socialist, Michelle Bachelet. Senators, deputies and regional councilmen will also be chosen on Sunday.
The Argentine navy has stepped up its search of the South Atlantic for a submarine with 44 crew on board that remains missing two days after its last communication on Wednesday. ARA San Juan was in the western south Atlantic some 432 kilometers from the Patagonian coast close to the San Jorge Gulf, when it sent its last signal on Wednesday midday, naval spokesman Enrique Balbi said on Friday.
China and Chile have agreed to upgrade their free trade agreement (FTA), a move that will boost both economies, a former official of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) said.