Deforestation is clearing the world’s forests rapidly and on a massive scale. As well as altering productive eco-systems and increasing the risk of flooding, it is a major contributor to climate change. Around 30% of the carbon added to the atmosphere over the past 150 years is thought to come from deforestation. As of now, [...]

The student movement in Chile has gained quite the momentum, with over 600,000 taking to the streets just last week. The Confederation of Stuents in Chile, or FECH, originally mobilised last year to protest against the Government’s ‘privatisation agenda’, burdening universities with the responsibility of financing themselves. Given the dire perceived consequences this would have [...]

With last month’s violent actions in Jujuy the issue of violence carried out by the police has returned to the public’s attention in Argentina, which has among the highest rates of deaths by police in the whole of Latin America. With preferential treatment in the courts and high levels of corruption in all levels of [...]

At 9pm on Sunday the results of Argentina’s first ever primary election were announced, in which 29 million voters took part. Despite having been named the favourite from the moment she announced her candidacy, incumbent Cristina Fernández de Kirchner shocked many by landing an overwhelming majority of 50%. She took to a podium before crowds [...]

The Argentine economy is flying. Since the country’s debt default in 2001, GDP has grown by 79.5%. This growth has been fuelled by increasing commodity prices and strong trading relations with other high-performing economies such as Brazil and China. On a national level this is all very well. And the government has increased its public spend [...]

The Interoceanic Highway has recently connected Rio de Janiero in Brazil to three Pacific Ocean ports in Peru. The 2,600km road, which passes through the centre of the Amazon rainforest and traverses the Andes mountains, has taken almost five  years to complete at a cost of US$1.6bn. Despite the obvious commercial advantages, such as increased [...]

Just under two weeks ago President Fernández de Kirchner signed a controversial decree banning sexual advertisements in newspapers and magazines. The law hopes to curb the diffusion of images that would, she said, “encourage or promote sexual exploitation”.

After weeks of rumours and speculation about his health, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez finally revealed in a television address on 30th June that he had received surgery to remove cancerous cells. News of the illness to Venezuela’s charismatic and controversial leader for twelve years came as a shock to many, and it is unclear whether [...]

Last week, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner confirmed her candidacy as president in the upcoming 23rd October elections. Recent polls rate her as likely victor in the elections. According to Poliarquía she has a 58% popularity rating with 49% of respondents voting for her, and CEOP Opinion Publica gives her 48% support- way more than all the [...]

The decriminalisation of marijuana has been a hot international topic for a while – some Argentine are on the bandwagon. They are calling to decriminalise the consumption, possession and growing of the drug in hopes of taking the focus off consumers and turning on the drug cartels themselves.  With the death toll of the Mexican [...]