201803.28
0

TLA TIMES | March 28, 2018

in TLA News

A Snapshot of LatinAmerican News

 

SNAPSHOT

Paraguay’s military spending as pct. of GDP.



Source: data.worldbank.org

EXCHANGE RATE
 
Currency | Per US Dollar


Figures from March 28 Source: www.xe.com

FUN IN THE SUN

The Cooperstown of Brazilian soccer.
  
Brazil has a soccer tradition like no other country. The nation has won more World Cups than any other country, five, and it is the only country to have participated in every World Cup.  It also produced an incomparable talent in Pele, who called soccer, or football as adherents prefer, “The Beautiful Game.” The country has a shrine to the sport, Museu do Futebol in Sao Paulo.  The museum includes exhibits on the game’s greatest players, the greatest plays and the radio announcer who for decades brought the sport to the masses throughout Brazil. Details
ARGENTINA

Argentina wants to sell lithium to Indian companies, government.

Argentina has plenty of lithium reserves, among the largest is the world. India has a big interest in getting into electric cars, which run on lithium batteries. The Asian nation hopes all of its vehicles run on electricity by 2030. So Argentina has approached Indian companies and the government and told them the South American nation is eager to meet their needs for lithium, the Business Standard reports.  Details

BRAZIL

Unions, copper mine reach deal  on contract,  avert a strike. 

With the possibility of strike looming, Antofagasta PLC’s Los Pelambres copper mine and its union workers reached an agreement, Reuters reports.  The deal gives miners a 3 percent wage increase and a $30,500-per-worker signing bonus. The mine’s largest union had voted down an earlier contract, increasing the likelihood of the first strike at mine. Details

Amazon weighs acquisition to increase presence in Brazil.

Amazon is in talks with Casino, a retailer based in France, about the possibility of buying Casino’s chain of appliance and electronics stores in Brazil, Bloomberg reports.   Amazon and Casino already struck a deal this week to sell groceries in France on Amazon’s Prime Now service. The two companies gave no public comment on any deal in Brazil. But Casino has already announced it intends to sell the Brazilian stores, Via Varejo.  Details

MEXICO

Mexican auctions off 35 blocks for off-shore oil and gas exploration.

The Mexican government held its last auction for petroleum exploration in shallow waters ahead of the July 1 presidential election, granting 16 contracts, Market Watch reports. The leading presidential candidate is leftist Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who wants to review all the contracts before allowing any more if he wins the election. There is fear López Obrador might rescind the contracts already granted. The current administration says it will hold more auctions before turning over power Nov. 30.  Details

Coca-Cola bottler shuts down operations in Southwest city.

Coca-Cola Femsa, the largest bottler of Coca-Cola products in the world, announced last week that it was shutting down its plant in Ciudad Altamirano, Business Insider reports. The bottler said it was suspending operations indefinitely in the Guerrero state because of threats from organized criminals and a lack of response from law enforcement. The company issued a statement, saying, “It laments profoundly that the absence of rule of law and the prevalence of impunity that affects the region." Details