A comprehensive collection of scholarly, personal, and editorial articles relating to the growth and development of economic / political ties between China and South America-- with a focus on commodity rich countries in South America and commodity/energy markets.
Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA), announced today one of its oil rigs began operations in Bolivia. Drilling is reported to have begun in the Vibora field, roughly 170 km north of the city of Santa Cruz.
Not a bad headline for Morales and his supporters who voted "yes" for a new constitution just days ago which allows for Morales to run beyond his term limits and which is partly designed to empower indiginous rights.
Jan 26 - Bolivian President Evo Morales appears before a crowd of supporters to claim victory in a controversial election that grants him the right to run for re-election
Bolivian voters approved a new constitution to give the poor indigenous majority more power, let socialist President Evo Morales run for re-election and hand him even tighter control over the economy.
Aymara, Quechua, Guarani and other indigenous groups who suffered centuries of discrimination in South America's poorest country largely backed the new constitution and exit polls showed it was approved with around 60 percent support.
Jan. 15 (Bloomberg) -- Peru is in talks with the U.S. Federal Reserve and China’s central bank to swap its currency for dollars as the government seeks to boost liquidity amid the global credit crunch, Finance Minister Luis Valdivieso said.
The country may tap another $9 billion in loans from multilateral lenders to help finance about $35 billion in mining, energy and other development projects, Valdivieso said in an interview with Bloomberg television last night at the Finance Ministry in Lima.
Jan. 15 (Bloomberg) -- Brazil’s plan to provide more than $20 billion to help companies roll over maturing international debt may point to even bigger financing constraints in the rest of Latin America, according to Standard & Poor’s.
Brazil’s central bank President Henrique Meirelles unveiled plans yesterday to tap reserves for helping 4,000 or more companies meet international debt payments this year. Brazilian companies have $61.6 billion of foreign debt coming due this year, including $44.9 billion of obligations that mature in less than a year, Schineller said, citing central bank data.
Jan. 15 (Bloomberg) – Brazil’s exports may plunge 20 percent this year on slumping demand and falling prices as world economic growth slows, Foreign Trade Secretary Welber Barral said.
Jan. 15 (Bloomberg) -- Argentine farm leader Eduardo Buzzi, president of the country’s Agrarian Federation, said measures announced by the government yesterday aren’t enough to help farmers facing drought and falling commodity prices.
Jan. 15 (Bloomberg) -- Ecuador’s central bank is preparing legislation that would allow it to issue a currency to be used alongside the dollar, Quito-based newspaper Hoy reported, citing a draft of the bill it had obtained
President Evo Morales announced Wednesday that Bolivia severed diplomatic ties with Israel as an act of solidarity with Palestinians suffering from the current offensive in the Gaza strip.
Apologies if entries this weekend where a bit "lacking." I was traveling and simply had little access to computers.
Following up to this mornings post, in which I discussed in brief the tremendous untapped agricultural capacity of South America, emphasizing Brazil and Argentina, I present the other side of the story via this video from Reuters.
Bolivia, South America's poorest country used to feed over half a million people using UN donations. Those same donations, in the wake of rising fuel costs, can feed a mere 200,000 today, leaving many with empty stomachs as the video above describes.
The question remains... Yes, no one doubts the "richness" of Latin America, but how do you translate natural resources or un-tapped agriculture potential into sustainable development? Second, how do these countries keep their resources from being exploited by multi-nationals or corrupt and greedy locals?
Most Latino's learn in school and as they grow up their countries are richly endowed with resources, giving their countries the potential to emerge from poverty and develop their countries. Sadly, this has not been the case for any Latin American country, perhaps Chile being a unique example once again.
Chile did succeed to a certain degree in this, putting much of their copper wealth towards sustainable economic development goals. The Chilenean economy emerged significantly more competitive and efficient compared to its neighbors in South America.
Let us not forget the high-cost and much suffering on the parts of some people who lived through the Pinochet dictatorship and the reforms of the "Chicago boys."
Bolivia, itself, in the past 15-20 years has developed its own agricultural capacities in the low lands of the country. I learn new things about Bolivia everyday, society is quite fragmented between the mestizo population (and European descended), and the indigenous community. Despite social and racial problems, a countries people, endowed wit vast resources as Bolivia should not be going hungry.
Bolivia is a unique country in South America, the good man Erneste "Che" Guevara called it the "heart of the America's," and that it is. I hope to see the country with my own two eyes one day before I pass further judgment, but no less, regional methods or a more cohesive internal movement should be put in place to at least alleviate malnutrition and hunger in Latin America.
The continent is poor, but always prided itself as being a poor continent which at least "did not go hungry." This age old myth (yes... myth), is now also on the verge of disappearing as food prices around the world continue to rise.
Captivated observer and active participant in the growing exchange between countries in the Americas and East Asia.
Exhilarated by the process of identifying and growing local and international business opportunities.
Committed towards expanding my reality and nurturing a network of like-minded individuals and organizations from across the globe. Including but never limited to -- entrepreneurs, creative talent, educators, students, innovators, investors and new media journalists.
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