ARGENTINA
Why Does Argentina Keep Shielding Iran?
Behind the scenes, Pope Francis wields clout in Argentina homeland
Following the mysterious death of a prosecutor who had indicted Mrs. Fernandez on conspiracy charges, Francis in January stepped in forcefully to keep the president from being deposed in a “soft coup,” The Washington Times learned from a close personal friend of the pope.
Local magnates had plotted to seize the moment and oust the president after Alberto Nisman was found with a gunshot wound to his head hours before he was due to testify on a supposed top-level cover-up of Iran’s suspected involvement in the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires.
But through calls and intermediaries, Francis persuaded “the right people at the right moment” to let Mrs. Fernandez serve our her second term, set to expire Dec. 10, Gustavo Vera, a Buenos Aires legislator and social activist who maintains a close friendship with the former Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, said.
Cristina stops by the Vatican frequently, and has had six private audiences with Francis.
Argentina’s La Presidenta Boogies Like She’s Hillary Clinton
BOLIVIA
Bolivia, Russia Sign Nuclear Cooperation Agreement
Rosatom will assist in the establishment of a nuclear research institute, including training for staff, Energy Minister Luis Sanchez said from Moscow in comments reported by official news agency ABI.
The pact also anticipates that Rosatom will advise the Bolivian government on how to educate the population about the nuclear power initiative, seen as necessary in light of the rejection by residents of La Paz of plans to build a nuclear research center in their neighborhood.
Besides power generation, Bolivia will use peaceful nuclear technology for medical applications and devices employed in geological research and prospecting for oil and gas, the minister said.
COLOMBIA
“War is Peace; Freedom is Slavery; Ignorance is Strength;” Uribe loyalists are Colombia’s ‘new terrorists’: Senate peace commission chairman
CUBA
Raul Castro’s demands for Gitmo plus reparations show Cuba still a prime enemy
EL SALVADOR
Violence in El Salvador:Rivers of blood. A crackdown on gangs has so far made things worse
GUYANA
Venezuela accuses Guyana of lying about border dispute
The indictment charged Jaime Rolando Rosenthal Oliva; his son Yani Benjamin Rosenthal Hidalgo; and his nephew Yankel Antonio Rosenthal Coello.
Honduras football boss Yankel Rosenthal charged in US
MEXICO
Good luck with that: Mexico’s President to Propose Bill to Improve Efforts to Locate 25,000 Missing. Legislation aims to improve coordination between authorities in search for people missing since war on drugs began
PANAMA
Panama engages investors ahead of funding forays
Just like their counterparts at the central bank, Peruvian government officials are finding that some of the usual ways to propel a developing economy don’t work in this case. In particular, Peru cannot take the common step of expanding its industrial sector to export value-added products rather than raw materials because of globalized value chains and an oversupply of industrial facilities in China, said Piero Ghezzi, Peru’s minister of production.
PUERTO RICO
Puerto Rico May Not Be Able to Avoid Defaults, Adviser Says. I am shocked, shocked!
VENEZUELA
Here’s What Happened When Venezuela Imposed Gun Control Laws
Venezuela is now the most expensive country in the world; hands down
