Latin America

December 4, 2007 -- Washington, DC—The following is a statement by Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) in support of the Peru Free Trade Agreement:    » read more »

12/04/2007 -- WASHGINTON, December 4 – Senator Bernie Sanders made the following statement on a United State-Peru trade agreement the Senate approved today:

“What the overwhelming majority of the American people understand is that our trade policy has been a complete failure, it has been bad for the U.S. economy, and it has caused the loss of millions of decent-paying jobs.    » read more »

December 4, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, DC-Today U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement after his vote to oppose the Peru Free Trade Agreement:

“The Peru Free Trade Act is more of the same flawed trade policy. Unfortunately, free trade has not meant fair trade. And it hasn’t meant a fair shake for U.S. workers. Pennsylvania has been especially hard hit. Since 2001, Pennsylvania has lost over 190,000 manufacturing jobs. These were good paying jobs that helped to support communities now torn apart.    » read more »

December 4, 2007 -- Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, in my view the United States has pursued failed trade policies for the past 20 years or more. This failed trade policy is reflected in our record trade deficits with the world. This failed trade policy has led us to accept a one-way street in trade where we allow too many countries access to our markets without insisting that they give us reciprocal access to theirs.    » read more »

December 4, 2007 -- Washington, DC — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada made the following statement today regarding the U.S.-Peru Free Trade Agreement that the U.S. Senate approved this afternoon:    » read more »

December 4, 2007 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) made the following statement today regarding the Senate vote on the Peru Free Trade agreement:

“Instead of fast-tracking new trade agreements through Congress, we need to take a deep breath and assess the impact of our failed trade policies and take the country and our economy in a better direction.    » read more »

04 December 2007 -- The U.S. Senate has followed the lead of the House of Representatives and approved a free trade agreement with Peru, giving President Bush his first legislative victory on trade since Democrats took control of Congress in January.

The Senate voted 77-18 to approve the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement and sent it to President Bush for his signature.

The president, speaking at a White House news conference ahead of the vote, said the trade deal would be good for the United States.    » read more »

01 December 2007 -- Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has announced a multimillion-dollar plan to improve roads, build sanitation systems and upgrade housing for residents in slums outside Rio de Janeiro.

Mr. Lula made the announcement Friday as he visited the Cantagalo "favela," or shantytown, outside the upscale beach district of Copacabana.

The president's plan will invest nearly $20 million of federal and state money into the local favelas, affecting thousands of families.    » read more »

03 December 2007 -- Venezuelan voters have rejected a sweeping constitutional reform project launched by President Hugo Chavez. In Caracas opposition leaders see the vote as a major blow to the president's efforts to impose socialist changes.

Election tallies continued past midnight, when officials finally released a count indicating a narrow victory for opponents of the constitutional reform. It was the first election defeat for President Chavez, who helped write the nation's constitution shortly after taking office in 1999.    » read more »

21 November 2007 -- Cuba has set January 20 as the date for national elections that will determine whether ailing leader Fidel Castro will remain the island's president. The vote may confirm the transfer of power to Fidel's brother, Raul Castro.    » read more »

17 November 2007 -- A U.S. Geological agency says an earthquake has struck off the coast of northern Chile, the latest in a string of quakes shaking the region since Wednesday.

Saturday's tremor hit at a shallow depth of 7 kilometers below the surface and struck at a 6.0 magnitude. It occurred 125 kilometers southwest of Tocopilla, Chile, which was hardest-hit by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake on Wednesday.

At least two people were killed in that quake and 15,000 people were displaced.    » read more »

18 November 2007 -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has warned that oil prices could more than double to $200 a barrel if the United States attacked Iran or Venezuela.

Mr. Chavez made the comment Saturday during an opening speech of an OPEC summit in Riyadh.

Before heading to the summit, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was in Bahrain and played down the prospect of a possible war with the United States, saying he did not believe there would be any new war in the region.    » read more »

Aftershocks Continue

15 November 2007 -- Chilean President Michelle Bachelet has toured northern towns hit by a major earthquake that killed two people, injured more than 100 and left thousands without homes.

Major aftershocks hit the region again Thursday, as President Bachelet sought to reassure distraught citizens in the port city of Tocopilla on the Pacific Coast. She promised the government will provide financial aid to help rebuild damaged houses and infrastructure.    » read more »

14 November 2007 -- Authorities in Chile say at least two people have been killed and more than 100 injured after a powerful earthquake struck in the north, sending terrified residents into the streets and cutting power to some of the country's copper mines.

Officials said two women were killed Wednesday when their houses in the town of Tocopilla collapsed during the 7.7 magnitude earthquake. They also said another person may have died in a tunnel collapse there, which has trapped some 50 workers.    » read more »

November 9, 2007 -- An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission headed by Mr. Benedict Clements, Division Chief in the Western Hemisphere Department, issued the following statement today in Bogota:

"An IMF team has been in Colombia over the past two weeks as part of the Article IV surveillance process. The team held discussions with the authorities and private sector about recent economic and financial developments and the near- and medium-term outlook.    » read more »