June, 2005 www.LatinEPR.com LatinEPR News Wire
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COMMUNICATIONS/MEDIA
Telesur - Latin America’s First 24-Hour Television News Network - Airs Test Signal
Latin America
has just received its first 24-hour television news network. Based in
Caracas, Telesur is a network designed to air breaking news, interviews
and investigative reports, documentaries, and regional films, with the
intention of seeing, “Latin America with Latin American eyes,” according
to the network’s Uruguayan director, Aram Aharonian. The network, whose
ownership is 51% Venezuelan, 20% Argentine, 19% Cuban and 10% Uruguayan,
reflects the desire of Latin Americans to have their own news channel
with a regional perspective, which is missing from such transnational
networks as CNN and Spain’s TVE. Brazil is also working on a news
network project called TV Brazil. Telesur is airing its test signal
until the end of June, and will begin full broadcast in September.
7th Annual Buenos Aires International Festival
of Independent Films
Thirteen countries were represented by competing film entries at this year’s 7th annual Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Films. Non-competing films from an additional twelve countries were shown as well. The young Argentine festival, which is celebrated every April, focuses largely on director-driven films and first time filmmakers, and is drawing increasing global interest. Competing feature films were submitted by Germany, Argentina, Paraguay, China, South Korea, Denmark, US, Spain, France, Italy, Mexico, Palestine, and Russia.
Google Focuses On Quality Not Quantity
According to New Scientist, the popular search engine Google is patenting a new system which would rank news searches not only in terms of relevance and date, but also in terms of quality of the source. Currently, Google responds to a search entry with the most recent article related to that topic. Since the engine cannot distinguish the quality of one article from the other, more reliable but less recent articles are often lost in the large number of resulting ‘hits’. Researchers at the company’s headquarters in Mountainview, California, are therefore developing a system to rank the news sources, thereby giving precedence to reputable news organizations, such as CNN and BBC, over less established sources. Criteria to be taken into account for this formula are size of the organization, years in business, global traffic on the internet, as well as average story length. Google plans to build a database, which would gather information on news organizations from around the world, and then rank each accordingly. The company speculates that this new system could also be used to rate sales and services in the future.
LATIN AMERICAN TRAVEL AND TOURISM STATS AND NEWS BRIEFS
Buenos Aires Scored Unprecedented Tourist Arrivals in Holy Week Break
During this year’s Holy Week, Argentina´s capital received 208,000 visitors from overseas, up 4% from the 2004 holidays. Approximately 69% were domestic travelers, while most of the remaining 31% consisted of visitors from neighboring nations like Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela
Aeromexico Creates 100 Franchises throughout Mexico
The Mexican airline Aeromexico has begun franchising, creating a network of 100 tourism offices throughout the country. The Aeromexico offices, which are scheduled to open between now and 2006, will deal not only in airline tickets, but also in cruise ship and hotel reservations.
Petroleum Boosts Ecuador Economy Up 6.9%
The unprecedented rise in petroleum prices boosted Ecuador’s economy in 2004 by 6.9%. Growth over the same period the previous year was recorded at 2.7%. This marks the largest improvement in the Andean country’s economy since 1995, according to the Central Bank of Ecuador (BCE).
Get Those Passports
US citizens will soon need passports to re-enter the US from the Dominican Republic. The program, “The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative”, is phasing in the requirement for all US travelers to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda. Under current regulations, a birth certificate and driver’s license would suffice for travel to the Dominican Republic. This will change at the end of this year. The passport rule will be imposed on air and sea travel to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda and Central and South America on 31 December 2005, and will be extended to Canada and Mexico on 31 December 2006 (DR1.)
Visitor Numbers Grow for Guatemala, Peru, and Uruguay in 2005
Guatemala, Peru, and Urugay top the list of Latin American countries with the most improved visitor numbers for the first trimester of 2005. According to Promperu, the governmental organization responsible for promoting tourism to the Andean country, visitor numbers in the first trimester of 2005 increased 28.6% over the same period the previous year. Figures from the World Tourism Organization (WTO) reveal that only Guatemala surpassed Peru during the 2005 trimester. Urugay was not far behind showing a 28% increase, followed by Colombia with 17.9%, and Costa Rica with 17%.
Latin American and Caribbean Economies Are Expected to Expand 4.3%
Latin American and Caribbean economies are forecasted to expand by 4.3% this year, estimated the World Bank in its annual report on world economic growth and development. Expectations are high after the region’s economic growth reached an extraordinary 5.7% in 2004.
Uruguay and Brazil Cooperation
Uruguay and Brazil signed several memorandums of understanding for joint operations or cooperation in energy, oil and gas exploration, telecommunications and education sectors during a ceremony in Brasilia. The ceremony served to commemorate the conclusion of Uruguayan president Tabare Vazquez’s visit to Brazil.
Argentina and Chile Peace and Friendship Treaty
Argentina and Chile, paying homage to deceased Pope John Paul II, recalled the leading role he played in preventing an armed conflict in December 1978, and how his special envoy set the foundations for a long lasting peace and friendship treaty from which both countries have since amply benefited.
Latin America-Florida Trade Grows 13.3%
Trade between Latin America and Miami was up 13.3% for 2004, totaling US$50.6 million, according to figures released by Enterprise Florida, the public-private organization in charge of developing the state’s economy. The analysis shows Brazil topping the list of Florida trade partners with a total of US$10.5 million, which signals a 21.9% increase over 2003. Following Brazil were the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, Guatemala, Chile, Argentina, and Venezuela. In the case of Venezuela, although it ranked lowest among Latin American countries, its trade relations with Florida actually proved the most dynamic. After a decrease of 26.6 for the 2002-2003 period, trade was up 97.4% in 2004 (AmericaEconomia.com.)
Peru´s Tourism First-Quarter Growth
Peru´s travel industry grew 21% in the first quarter of this year and prospects of further growth are looking good. The increasingly larger amount of tourist arrivals is owed to promotional efforts overseas, a process that started four years ago and is now beginning to pay off.
Brazil´s Travel Industry Posted 14.7 Percent First-Quarter Growth
In the first quarter of 2005, the Brazilian tourist industry has registered over one billion dollars in revenues, up 14.7% from the same period in 2004, a new record high for that time of year. Over the last two years, Brazilian tourism has had to reverse a slumping trend and is now finally beginning to see surpluses upwards of US$568 million.
44 Latin American Companies in Forbes 2005 List
Brazilian Petroleum giant Petrobras ranked 88th, the highest of any Latin American corporation, in Forbes Magazine’s annual World’s Top 2000 Companies list. In total, 44 companies from Latin America were included in this year’s list: 19 from Brazil, 18 from Mexico, 5 from Chile, and one from both Peru and Panama. Overall top company in the world was Citigroup.
Mexico Anticipates 50% Rise in Exports to Japan
The bilateral free trade agreement between Mexico and Japan, which required nearly 16 months of negotiations, finally took effect this past April. Under the FTA, Mexican exports to Japan are projected to increase by 50%. Of these trade goods, 91% entering Japan are tariff-exempt. The majority include Mexican agricultural products, such as lemons, coffee, avocados, pumpkin, wine, asparagus, tequila, mescal, garlic, legumes, and eggs. Products which remain in dispute and are tax free up to a certain amount include pork, veal, chicken, oranges, and orange juice, but over time the limits would in all likelihood be raised. One industry facing far less restrictions is the textile industry. Under the FTA, Mexico is allowed to export even those products manufactured from US and Canadian fabrics. As for Japanese companies in Mexico, 92% are involved in the automotive and electric industries, and investments are expected to rise in the first year from the current annual US$450 million to US$1.2 billion (AmericaEconomia.com.)
Chile Offers Brazil Open Automotive Market
Chile has offered Brazil a tempting trade deal: in exchange for more leeway in the sales of its export products, Chile would open its automotive market to Brazil. This means that Brazil would have unrestricted access to the Chilean market of passenger and commercial vehicles. In return, Chile would request increased sale quotas for such trade products as wine, apples, and methanol, as well as GM trucks. Chile’s interest stems from the fact that trade between the two countries in 2004 increased 60% compared to the previous year, for a total of US$180 million (Dow Jones Newswires.)
Santiago Still Top Latin American City for Business
According to a study conducted by the research department at America Economia, one of Latin America’s leading business magazines, the Chilean capital of Santiago continues to be the most business-friendly city in the region. With a high quality of living, large business potential and possibilities for professional development, Santiago ensures a positive atmosphere and a strong market for investments.
Save US$32 million with light bulbs in the Dominican Republic
The Alternative Energy Plan that the Ministry of Industry and Commerce has prepared to save as much as US$554 million a year in energy costs, not only includes the use of alcohol from sugar cane and wind generation, it also calls for the replacing of light bulbs in the poorest barrios. Minister Francisco Javier Garcia said that the plan also looks at the conversion of garbage into fuel. The light bulb proposal is talking about exchanging 1.5 million incandescent bulbs of 100 watts or more, for florescent bulbs of 22 watts. The cost would be US$3 million but the savings are estimated to be US$32 million over the year. The savings would be even larger if community programs could be implemented to teach the inhabitants of the barrios to turn off the lights during the daytime.
Showers might signal end to drought
Sudden showers in Jarabacoa and Santiago, in the Dominican Republic, were thought to be the end of two months of scarce rains. Rains fell as hundreds of small fires were burning in the Haitian area and the central mountain range. Nearly four weeks of fires have destroyed 170,000 tareas (approx. 28,000 acres) of forests, according Ministry of the Environment officials.
Japan is Second Largest Source for the Latin American Remittance Market
Remittances to Latin America and the Caribbean from immigrants living in Japan reached US$2.7 billion in the first months of 2005. The Latin American remittance market is the largest in the world with a total of US$45.8 billion last year. At the moment, the US is the biggest source, but Japan is not far behind, and it is important to note that immigrants there earn much more than their US counterparts. Of the Latin Americans currently living in Japan, 82% (430,000) are Brazilian who sent home US$2.2 billion this year alone. Peruvians constitute the second largest group in Japan, their remittances totaling US$365,000. One outstanding factor of the Latin American immigrant population is that so many are ‘nikkeis’, descendants of Japanese who emigrated to the region at the turn of the 20th century. Nikkeis often earn between five and ten times in Japan as much as they would at home, and 70% of them send regular remittances which amount to an annual average of US$8,000 per person (AmericaEconomica.com.)
Foreign Direct Investment Inflows into Latin America Increased 44% in 2004
During 2004, foreign direct investment (FDT) inflows into Latin America and the Caribbean reached US$56.4 billion, indicating a 46% increase over the previous year’s US$37 billon. Of the FDT to the region, South America received 48% (US$34.1 billion), while Mexico and the Caribbean received 43% (US$22.3 billion.) This is the first time that the FDT inflows grew since 1999.
The Gap Between Rich and Poor Grows in Argentina
Despite steady economic recuperation and growth, as well as rising employment for 2004, it seems the gap between Argentina’s rich and poor is getting wider. While wealthy families have average monthly earnings of US$594 per person, people in low-income families earn as little as US$18 a month. The problem appears even more serious when one considers that the annual income of the richest 6.2% equals the total annual income of 55% of the country’s population.
88 Dominicans in MLB
Eighty-eight Dominicans, up from last year’s record 77, are on the rosters of Major League Baseball teams. This means the DR will be getting lots of mentions as the sports press follows the achievements of the mighty Caribbean ball players on 28 of the 30 teams. Only the Minnesota Twins and the Colorado Rockies do not have Dominicans on their staff. The National League will have 44 players, and the American League 39. Of the total, 39 are pitchers, 29 outfielders, 12 are infielders, and two are catchers (Miguel Olivo and Alberto Castillo). David Ortiz (Boston) is the only designated batter. Two teams will be managed by Dominicans, San Francisco Giants (Felipe Alou) and Kansas City Royals (Tony Pena). Teams with the most players are: Texas Rangers (6), Atlanta Braves (6), New York Mets (5), Kansas City Royals (5), Chicago White Sox (5), Florida Marlins, San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals have four each. Several Dominicans will be acting as coaches, and Omar Minaya is the general manager of the New York Mets.
Bellingham - Punta Arenas’ US sister city
The mayor of Bellingham, Washington State, Punta Arenas sister city in USA, Mark Asmundson, visited Magallanes Region to establish closer relations and share experiences. Bellingham has a similar population to Punta Areas, 120,000 and Mr. Asmundson was interested in finding out about community relations, law enforcement, youth problems and attention to the elderly. Mr. Asmundson invited his Punta Arenas counterpart Juan Morano to visit Bellingham and talked about how the city addressed the problem of graffiti.
LOOK IT UP
PATAGONIA
See the beauty of one of the most enchanted and majestic places on the Planet
Information, tours, etc. on theArgentine portion of Patagonia
www.patagoniaexpeditionrace.com
The adventure at the end of the world
Patagonia, Arizona
Did you know there is a
Patagonia in the US? - The Indians once referred to the region, in which
Patagonia lies as the Enchanted Land. This area has an abundance of
water and game. In 1858, the Patagonia Silver Mine opened. The name
Patagonia comes from a Spanish word, patagon meaning "the place where
the big footed animals hold forth". The mine is estimated to have made
more than 1million in ore. In town, you will find artistians,
ranchers, naturalists and retirees all living and working together to
build a community. Patagonia is a town with a commitment to historical
preservation and cultural enrichment.
CURIOSIDADES
It takes 203 days of paperwork to open a company in Haiti, 116 days in Venezuela, 58 days in Mexico, 32 days in Argentina and 28 days in Chile. By comparison, it takes two days in Australia, eight days in Singapore and 11 days in Hong Kong.