America's Insider articles from March 2001

America's Insider archives from March 2001

Bush, Pastrana meeting lacks substance; US officials back Plan Colombia.(Pres Bush; Colombia Pres Andres Pastrana; drug traffic control)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... WASHINGTON -- Several key US officials overseeing the $1.3 billion US contribution to Plan Colombia, the Colombian government's ambitious anti-drug mission launched last year, told Congress they were encouraged by the progress being made so...

Zapatistas hope crowds will help them achieve their demands.(Mexico)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... MEXICO CITY -- Raucous crowds and heavy security have greeted a caravan of Zapatista rebels as they head for the capital to lobby for an indigenous rights bill and for possible talks with government officials. The journey, which is supposed...

Hard times benefit one-way travel industry.(illegal immigration from Ecuador to Europe)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... QUITO -- Newspapers the world over contain how-to articles about any number of subjects; fixing the roof, hiring a nanny, buying a car, etc. Of late, however, Ecuadorian papers have begun offering advice to the country's tens of thousands of...

Hostages still waiting to be freed.(kidnapped oil workers in Ecuador)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... QUITO -- Employers of seven foreign oil workers kidnapped in October paid a $13 million ransom for the freedom of their workers, but were still waiting for news as this issue of Americas Insider went to press. Early reports that the seven had...

Russian demand to be part of settlement hits effort to reach debt accord with Paris Club.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... HAVANA -- A demand by Russia that it be included in any debt restructuring deal between Cuba and the Paris Club has western creditors pessimistic they will reach a deal with the indebted island any time soon. Cuba and the Paris Club in...

Lowered expectations, economic woes threaten Argentine economy.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... BUENOS AIRES -- Skepticism about the economy is turning to despair as international analysts warn customers away from Argentine equities and debt and consumer confidence is plummeting. A recent report by US investment bank J.P. Morgan...

Political and financial interests, voter apathy weaken support for independent Central Bank.(Brazil)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... SAO PAULO -- As the political elite increasingly begins to focus on the question of who will succeed President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, there is a growing movement to try to find a way to lock in the current president's policies regardless of...

Pinochet case, torture accusations continue to cause strains in Chile.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... SANTIAGO -- The Chilean government fears that a torture complaint, lodged recently by victims of General Augusto Pinochet's military dictatorship, could be the first of many similar accusations involving armed forces officers who are still on...

Tax collections slow.(Argentina)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... BUENOS AIRES --Tax revenue grew just 1.5% in January compared to the same month last year, reflecting a lack of growth in the economy. Total tax revenue in 2001 is expected to be $2.5 billion less than last year, due to some tax cuts but also...

Money laundering "shocking".(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... BUENOS AIRES -- According to Sen. Carlos Gutierrez of the governing Alianza coalition, members of a US Senate committee on money laundering were "shocked" by the amount of money being laundered in Argentina and the impunity with which it was...

Free trade agreement advances.(between US and Chile)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... SANTIAGO -- Chilean Foreign Minister Soledad Alvear said she is optimistic a free trade agreement with the United States will be concluded by the end of 2001 after a round of meetings slated for later this month in Miami. Chile is willing to...

Unemployment increases.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... SANTIAGO --Average unemployment between November and January rose to 8.4%, well above the predicted 8.1% and slightly higher than last year's 8.3%. The numbers reflect a slowdown in the Chilean economy over the last six to seven months, with...

New energy regulations.(Colombia)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... BOGOTA -- The government announced three new rules for power producers this week in an attempt to control prices. The regulations, which were adopted as emergency measures, include changes in how power contracts are priced, hiding the...

Bavaria strike ends.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... BOGOTA -- 6,300 workers from the Bavaria brewery and food processor returned to work today after a 70-day strike. Unions representing workers at 18 plants agreed to end the strike after agreeing to set up an arbitration panel consisting of one...

Oil production halted.(Occidental Petroleum in Colombia stops production due to pipeline bombings and damage caused by guerrillas)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... BOGOTA -- Occidental Petroleum declared force majeure on oil exports from the Cano Limon oil fields after repeated attacks on its pipeline to the coast forced it to shut in production which prevented exports. The pipeline has been out of...

Security imports high.(demand for security systems in Ecuador expected to increase)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... QUITO -- According to a study produced by the US Embassy in Quito, Ecuador's demand for security equipment will grow at a rate of 15%-25% per year until at least 2003, providing a huge market for foreign security firms. Last year alone, the...

Debate over Pemex appointments.(Pres Fox asked to remove members of Pemex's board of directors due to conflict of interest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... MEXICO CITY -- Members of Congress from the PRI, PRD, PT, and PVEM parties called on President Vicente Fox to withdraw the appointment of four business magnates to the board of directors of state oil company Pemex. The politicians said the...

Budget increases.(Venezuela)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... CARACAS -- The government is considering adding an additional $900 million in spending to the 2001 budget, most of which would be funded through borrowing. Of this amount, about half would come from bond offerings. The government has not...

Bad loans increase.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... CARACAS -- The five largest banks in the country experienced an increase of 12.5% in loans with payment problems at the end of January. Banavez was the only large bank to experience a decrease in bad loans, with these falling 11.57%. The Bank...

Peruvian presidential race heats up but tough problems face the winner.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2001... LIMA -- With the economy mired in recession and a corruption scandal widening daily, the upcoming April 8 presidential elections are about hope as much as anything else. For many, Lourdes Flores Nano - the first woman with a serious chance...

Political bickering delays project to make Ecuador's main port usable.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2001... QUITO -- For now more than 10 years, the channel leading into the port of Guayaquil has slowly been filling with sand and sediment, making shipping out of the port - which handles 70% of Ecuador's non-oil trade- a growing problem. It is...

Covas' death opens power vacuum in Brazilian politics.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2001... SAO PAULO -- Mario Covas, governor of Sao Paulo and one of the country's most esteemed politicians has died after a two-year struggle with cancer. Covas was the leader of the ruling Social Democratic party (PSDB) and his death leaves that...

Temporary public works program becomes permanent fixture that benefits military.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2001... CARACAS -- The Chavez administration has set aside $170 million to relaunch its controversial 'Plan Bolivar,' which puts military personnel to work on various social assistance schemes. The plan, intended to showcase President Hugo Chavez's...

Microsiga to be first IPO on New Market.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2001... SAO PAULO -- Software company Microsiga will be the first company to have an IPO on Brazil 's 'New Market.' The New Market, modeled after the German Neuer Markt, is the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange 's attempt to strengthen Brazil 's ailing capital...

Chavez tries to soothe hard feelings in military.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2001... Over the last few weeks, the president has worked hard to placate disaffected officers through a series of high-profile concessions. First, he agreed to name an Air Force general to the newly created position of Chief of the Armed Forces,...

Pension reforms could cause more conflict for Colombian government.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2001... BOGOTA -- Colombian Finance Minister Juan Manuel Santos recently signed a letter-of-intent with the International Monetary Fund detailing the government's efforts to slash the fiscal deficit in 2001, the second year of a three-year recovery...

New Economy Minister seen as best hope to boost Argentine economy.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2001... BUENOS AIRES -- Faced with plunging public confidence, weak markets and a consensus that efforts to revive the economy had almost completely failed, President Fernando de la Rua accepted the resignation of Economy Minister Jose Luis Machinea...

Likely head of State Department Latin Desk has experience, strong feelings on Cuba.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2001... WASHINGTON -- Otto J. Reich, a Cuban exile with a long career in Latin American issues and longtime links to hard-line anti-Castro groups, is the top contender for the job of Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs. ...

Immunity for military revoked.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2001... BUENOS AIRES -- A fifteen year-old set of laws providing immunity for more than 100,000 military officers and civilians accused of torture and murder during the military dictatorship was revoked this week by Argentine judge Gabriel Cavallo, who...

IMF relaxes goals.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2001... BUENOS AIRES -- Saying that the agreement "wasn't written in stone," the IMF agreed to relax its requirements for Argentina's fiscal deficit in the third quarter. The deficit is expected to exceed the $2.1 billion limit set out in the...

Floods destroy railroad.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2001... LA PAZ -- Flooding destroyed 20 kilometers of the railroad linking La Paz to Arica in northern Chile last week. The route, which carries 20% of Bolivian imports and exports, is expected to be closed for five to six months and cost $4 million to...

Gas line monopoly ends.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2001... BRASILIA -- State oil company Petrobras is about to lose its monopoly on transporting natural gas from Bolivia. The National Petroleum Agency (ANP) is expected to grant a request from British Gas to be able to use the line on an open access...

Lagos seeks to resolve abuse charges.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2001... SANTIAGO -- A new plan proposed by President Ricardo Lagos is aimed at bringing definitive closure within two years to charges of human rights abuses during the military dictatorship. The proposal includes naming special judges to accelerate...

Debts provoke blackouts.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2001... BOGOTA -- The departments of Valle, Caldas, and Tolima may be affected by blackouts of up to four hours each day due to the debts of several energy distributors to power generators. Fourteen energy distributors owe a total of about $35 million,...

Castano opposes demilitarized zone.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2001... BOGOTA -- In a letter posted on his groups website, paramilitary leader Carlos Castano said his men are willing to kill or die to prevent the creation of a demilitarized zone for the guerrilla group ELN. Under the government's plan a second...

Mining promoted in war zones.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2001... BOGOTA -- The Colombian government presented foreign and domestic investors with a map of ten exploration areas containing gold, silver, emeralds, copper, marble, lead and zinc, as well as other minerals. The trick is that many of these areas...

Ecuador ratifies Peru peace accord.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2001... QUITO --The government of Ecuador, has issued a final ruling that a peace accord signed with Peru is valid and was the result of an intense but "transparent" round of negotiations. The accord had been called into question by rumors that one of...

VAT to apply to transport and housing.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2001... MEXICO CITY -- The Mexican senate debated this week part of President Vicente Fox's fiscal reform bill which would extend the value added tax to cover private school tuition, public transportation (including taxis), and the rental or sale of...

Poll shows Chavez still popular.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2001... CARACAS -- A study last month showed that President Hugo Chavez enjoys a 63% approval rating, down from the 80% rating he received when first elected. The government and the armed forces both had approval ratings of 64%, the Catholic Church...

Chavez warns ranchers.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2001... CARACAS -- President Hugo Chavez has warned that the government will not tolerate plans by ranchers along the Colombian border to form armed militia groups. Chavez said that the Venezuelan military is the only institution that can provide...

Handling of highjacking suspect increases Venezuelan-Colombian tensions: Episode raises questions about Chavez administration's ties to guerrilla groups.(Brief Article)
March 15, 2001... CARACAS -- Colombian-Venezuelan relations reached their lowest point in decades this week after Venezuela first arrested and then released a Colombian accused of hijacking an Avianca airliner in 1999. The affair has set bilateral relations on...

Zapatista march on Mexico City may help push controversial constitutional changes through Congress.(Brief Article)
March 15, 2001... MEXICO CITY--The Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) march on Mexico City may make it virtually impossible for legislators to resist demands for a series of new indigenous rights measures. There remain serious questions, however, about...

Debt relief for small business intended to help bolster economy.(Chile)(Brief Article)
March 15, 2001... SANTIAGO -- Less than a week after the Central Bank cut its reference interest by half a point in early March, the government announced a debt-relief package for small and mid-sized firms intended to jump start the country's flagging job...

Plans to revive hydro construction stymied by market, political doubts.(Peru)(Brief Article)
March 15, 2001... LIMA-- Peru's hopes of an immediate revival of construction of new hydroelectric projects in the wake of the government decision to lift a ban on new concessions have been dampened by delays at three major projects that were stalled two years...

Lopez Murphy to take axe to Argentine budget.(Argentina's Economy Minister Ricardo Lopez Murphy)(Brief Article)
March 15, 2001... BUENOS AIRES -- New Economy Ministry Ricardo Lopez Murphy is about to take an axe to the Argentine budget. Only weeks after taking office, he appears to have concluded that shock therapy is in order and has set about drawing up plans to...

FARC claims to make tactics more humane are open to question.(Colombian rebels)(Brief Article)
March 15, 2001... BOGOTA- Colombia's main Communist guerrilla army has indicated it may be ready to clean up its act and take measures to reduce the impact of the long-running war on civilians and children. The order, however, does not appear to have filtered...

Rules for Cuba sales stalled by Congress, State Department.(Brief Article)
March 15, 2001... WASHINGTON -- Key lawmakers have moved to try to restrict proposed Commerce Department regulations that would implement a law Congress approved last year to allow food sales to Cuba and other countries under sanctions. A draft of the...

End of drug certification seen as likely.(US law opposed by Latin American countries)(Brief Article)
March 15, 2001... WASHINGTON -The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is expected to move swiftly this month to temporarily scrap a 15-year US anti-drug policy that Latin American countries have long opposed. Four bills have been introduced this year, but a...

Europeans block beef imports.(from Argentina)(Brief Article)
March 15, 2001... BUENOS AIRES -- A European Union commission has recommended the suspension of beef imports from Argentina, citing the discovery of cases of hoof and mouth disease in Argentine herds. The United States, Canada, and Mexico also have suspended...

Trade with Brazil falls.(Argentina and Brazil bilateral trade)(Brief Article)
March 15, 2001... BUENOS AIRES- Bilateral trade between Argentina and Brazil fell in February, with exports from Argentina decreasing 8.6% and imports declining 5.5%. Exports of oil and petroleum products fell sharply as Brazilian production rose. The declines...

Rains affecting agriculture prices.(in Bolivia)(Brief Article)
March 15, 2001... LA PAZ- Heavy rains have destroyed crops and key transportation routes, causing increases in the cost of food. Although adequate supplies are available, food prices have risen on average about 10%. The rains also have cut important export...

TIM to set up nationwide network.(Telecom Italia Mobile)(Brief Article)
March 15, 2001... BRASILIA- Telecom Italia Mobile (TIM) paid $479 million for a license covering 16 Brazilian states. The purchase gives the company licenses that cover the entire country, enabling it to set up the first nationwide mobile phone system. The move...

Irregularities in Ecopetrol.(Brief Article)
March 15, 2001... BOGOTA -- The Comptroller General's office has found numerous irregularities in the accounts of state oil company Ecopetrol, including the unnecessary hiring of employees and consultants, illegal increases in salaries and overtime payments, and...

Oil pipeline resumes service.(Brief Article)
March 15, 2001... BOGOTA- The Cano Limon-Covenas oil pipeline resumed pumping Tuesday night after nearly a month of suspended production. Pumping was stopped Feb. 17 after rebel bombs damaged the line. Production resumed briefly on March 8, but further bomb...

Fake bishop arrested.(Brief Article)
March 15, 2001... BOGOTA- A man claiming to be an Anglican bishop, along with two retired Ecuadorian colonels and a civilian, were arrested for attempting to smuggle 800 antitank rounds and 120 antipersonnel mines worth $3 million into Colombia. The weapons...

AGD still owes depositors $815 million.(Deposit Guarantee Agency)(Brief Article)
March 15, 2001... QUITO --The Deposit Guarantee Agency (AGD) created in the wake of the 1998-9 banking crisis, has paid out more than $275 million to 10,778 people. The agency, designed by the World Bank, was supposed to shore up the weak banking system and...

Deficit hinges on tax reform.(Brief Article)
March 15, 2001... QUITO -- Finance Minister Jorge Gallardo said this week that if his tax reform measures are not passed by Congress, the country will have a 2001 budget deficit of 4% of GDP, or about $650 million. Even with the reform measures - which include a...

Tax reform proposal is changed.(Brief Article)
March 15, 2001... MEXICO CITY - A tax reform package the government plans to introduce in Congress within a few days will include a 15% VAT on food and medicine, and not a 13% tax as originally stated. This would give the government an increase in revenue of...

Letter of Intent signed with IMF.(International Monetary Fund)(Brief Article)
March 15, 2001... LIMA- The IMF accepted this week a letter of intent signed by the government of Peru, clearing the way for the disbursal of $1.475 billion in credits by the World Bank and other multilateral lenders. Among the primary goals of the reforms...

MiG crashes during corruption tests.(Brief Article)
March 15, 2001... LIMA - A MiG-29 jet crashed Tuesday as it was being tested to see if it was obsolete and part of a scheme by disgraced Vladimiro Montesinos to steal millions of dollars. A congressional commission ordered the tests after reports that Montesinos...

Military loses perk.(gas voucher benefit ended)(Brief Article)
March 15, 2001... LIMA - Peru's armed forces and police who have been receiving gasoline vouchers as part of their wages since 1976 will this month begin to receive their full salary in cash. The value of the vouchers ranges from the equivalent of $70.00 a month...

Andean trade pact may be extended.(Andean Trade Preference Act)(Brief Article)
March 15, 2001... WASHINGTON -- Legislation was introduced this week in the Senate to expand the Andean Trade Preferences Act, currently scheduled to expire Dec. 4, until 2005. Senators said the additional trade benefits for Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador...

Guerrillas cross border often.(Brief Article)
March 15, 2001... CARACAS -- In a meeting with Venezuelan Defense Minister Jose Vicente Rangel, ranchers from the region along the border with Colombia complained that Colombian guerrillas cross the border freely, and asked that new security measures be put into...

Official figures called into question.(Brief Article)
March 15, 2001... CARACAS --The Office of Economic Accounting of the National Assembly called official Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV) economic figures into question. The commission said a number of factors are not being included in BCV calculations. Among the...

Irregularities found in bank.(Banco del Pueblo)(Brief Article)
March 15, 2001... CARACAS -- The board of directors of the Banco del Pueblo, founded by Hugo Chavez to give credits to microenterprises, found irregularities in the accounts of the bank. Members of the board cited loans made without the approval of a loan...

PDVSA eyes Cuban refinery.(Petroleos de Venezuela S.A.)(Brief Article)
March 15, 2001... CARACAS -- State oil company PDVSA, along with Repsol of Spain, are considering a plan to refurbish the refinery in Cienfuegos, Cuba. According to PDVSA president Guaicaipuro Lameda, an agreement could be signed as early as this month. PDVSA...

Opposition warns of "self-coup".(Brief Article)
March 15, 2001... CARACAS -- A newly established opposition group, calling itself the Civic Action Coordinator, warned the military that President Hugo Chavez may use any type of dissent or alleged conspiracy as a pretext for seizing dictatorial powers. The...

Shocktroops of the drug war: Paramilitary units spearhead offensive.(Brief Article)
March 22, 2001... LA HORMIGA -- Right-wing paramilitary units known for their brutality are increasingly operating in concert with the Colombian armed forces and as such are becoming an instrument of US policy. One of the major objectives of the US-backed...

Haste, questionable contracting practices doom offshore oil rig.(Brief Article)
March 22, 2001... RIO DE JANEIRO -- The loss of the P-36 oil rig, the largest offshore production platform in the world, raises serious questions about contracting practices at state oil company Petrobras, as well as the company's haste in installing a troubled...

Budget proposal reveals deficits are larger than thought.(Brief Article)
March 22, 2001... MEXICO CITY -- Mexico's Finance Secretariat has unveiled a proposal for fiscal reform that acknowledges for the first time that Mexico's budget deficit is far larger than has been reported in the past. The proposal has not been submitted...

Brazil's ruling coalition continues to weaken due to internal feuding.(Brief Article)
March 22, 2001... SAO PAULO- Recent accusations of corruption have put President Fernando Henrique Cardoso in the middle of a political rivalry that could compromise the already weakened ruling party coalition. A bitter feud between center-right Liberal...

Chavez to meet Pastrana amid further accusations of aid to Colombian rebels.(Brief Article)
March 22, 2001... CARACAS -- President Hugo Chavez is slated to meet Colombian counterpart Andres Pastrana this weekend in a bid to reduce tensions between the two nations, but new allegations about the Venezuelan government's relations with leftist guerrillas...

As hatchet man gets the axe, Argentina gets a virtual prime minister.(Brief Article)
March 22, 2001... BUENOS AIRES--Economy Minister Ricardo Lopez Murphy lasted just two weeks on the job, the victim of an overly ambitious effort to slash public spending and a weak administration that was unable to defend his proposals. In his place,...

Bad debts grow.(Brief Article)
March 22, 2001... LA PAZ -- The amount of debt that is in arrears to Bolivian banks rose more than 17% during the first two months of the year, according to a study by a local consultant. Muller y Asociados said the total of troubled debt loans held by Bolivian...

Accord reached on labor, tax reform.(Brief Article)
March 22, 2001... SANTIAGO -- Leaders of the ruling coalition say they have reached accord on a number of proposed tax and labor reforms and that new legislation will be passed soon. A new labor bill already has been submitted to Congress. With regard to tax...

Antioquia hit by waves of attacks.(Brief Article)
March 22, 2001... BOGOTA --The government is planning to send more troops to Antioquia province after repeated attacks on the power grid and transportation system. The region has been plagued with blackouts as leftist guerrillas have blown up dozens of power...

Havana cuts more phone links.(Brief Article)
March 22, 2001... HAVANA- It is becoming increasingly difficult to make calls from the United States to Cuba in the wake of a Cuban decision to further reduce communications links between the two countries. Cuban officials in recent days installed software to...

Plan Colombia comes under fire.(Brief Article)
March 22, 2001... QUITO -- Foreign Minister Heinz Moeller said that US funding of Plan Colombia, a US-backed effort to reduce drug production in Colombia, is flawed because it does not include enough assistance for Ecuador. He said the conflict in Colombia had...

Argentine troubles worry Ecuador.(Brief Article)
March 22, 2001... QUITO -- Ecuadorian officials say they are concerned that economic and political turmoil in Argentina, as well as the slowing US economy, could have a dramatic impact on Ecuador. Central Bank President Leopoldo Baez said that while cuts in US...

Firm fined after police spy on army.(Brief Article)
March 22, 2001... QUITO -- Telephone company Andinatel has been fined $200 after a judge found that the company allowed police to tap the phone lines of the intelligence service of the armed forces. Initially, the judge had ordered the company to cease all...

Fujimori may face rebellion charges.(Brief Article)
March 22, 2001... LIMA --A congressional commission is considering whether to charge former President Alberto Fujimori with rebellion for his 1992 Autogolpe, in which he dissolved Congress and assumed dictatorial powers. New elections were held later and some...

Swiss ban arms sales to Venezuela.(Brief Article)
March 22, 2001... CARACAS -- Venezuela officials are protesting a decision by the Swiss government to bar a shipment of pistols ordered by the armed forces. The Swiss government said it was concerned that the weapons could find their way into the hands of...

Rebel address to Congress is step toward addressing indigenous complaints.(Mexico)(Brief Article)
March 29, 2001... MEXICO CITY -- In a landmark speech from the floor of Congress members of the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) on Wednesday demanded legislators grant the country's marginalized indigenous peoples unprecedented autonomy. Wearing...

Working long hours, Cavallo pushes reforms through Congress.(Argentina)(Brief Article)
March 29, 2001... BUENOS AIRES -- It's deja vu all over again in Argentina. Just as he did nearly a decade ago, Economy Minister Domingo Cavallo has legislators working late into the night and over the weekends to approve legislation he says will rescue the...