May 1, 2007 www.LatinEPR.com
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LATIN AMERICA - NEWS BRIEFS
MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY
South America to Surpass 350 Million Cellular Connection Mark in 2007
By the end of 2007, South America is expected to surpass the 350 million connections mark in cellular communications, which represents an annual growth of 15%, according to research firm Wireless Intelligence. The region is among the fastest growing regions after the Middle East & Africa and Asia Pacific. Brazil accounts for 33% of these regional cellular connections (100 million by the end of 2006), and its impressive numbers are forecast to increase by 10% this year. Within the northern region, Mexico’s market is half the size of Brazil, with 56.8 million connections in 2006, but it is expected to grow by 15% this year to reach approximately 66 million connections. El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua are expected to record a 30% average growth rate this year. Although most markets in the Southern Cone region have an overall lower growth rate of 17% forecasted for 2007, penetration rate in that area is higher than in its northern neighbors. Figures also reveal that within the Andean region, the average penetration rate in 2006 was around 60%. By 2007, it is expected to have reached the 70% mark. Finally, the Caribbean region should see an 11% increase in cellular connections by the end of this year, constituting 4% of all connections in the Americas.
Argentina 'On Course' for 2010 Broadband Target
Argentina is projected to end 2007 with over two million broadband connections, thereby inching closer to the government’s target of four million by 2010, according to a recent BNamericas interview with Sebastian Ballerini, director of operations for South America for leading Internet supplier, Cisco. Ballerini states that his company’s optimistic forecast is based on the current growth in Argentina, which saw broadband connections reach 1.59 million in 2006, indicating a total 600,000 additional users from the previous year.
Brazil Government to Offer Free Internet to Amazon Tribes
The Associated Press recently reported that the Brazilian government has pledged to provide free Internet access to native Indian tribes in the Amazon in an effort to help protect the world's largest rainforest. The environment and communications ministers signed an agreement last month with the Forest People's Network to provide an Internet signal by satellite to 150 communities, including many reachable only by riverboat, allowing them to report illegal logging and ranching, request help and coordinate efforts to preserve the forest. Said Francisco Costa of the Environment Ministry, the goal of this project is to "encourage those peoples to join the public powers in the environmental management of the country” and also “strengthen the Forest People's Network, a digital web for monitoring, protection and education." The ministry said the first move would be for city and state governments to install "telecenters" with computers in selected areas, including indigenous lands. The federal government would then provide the satellite connection. The areas in 13 states, including the Pantanal wetlands and the poor northeast, were chosen by the Environment Ministry, the National Indian Foundation, or Funai, and the government environmental protection agency Ibama. Currently there exist only a few telecenters on the outskirts of cities, but the new ones will be built deep in the forest, allowing Indians unprecedented access to public officials, as well as to other modes of education.
TRAVEL
Argentina Plans High Speed Train to Connect Major Cities by 2010
Argentina is planning a 1.35 billion high speed train project, scheduled to reach completion in 2010. The top candidate for the project currently is French railway manufacturer, Alstom, which intends to build the rail network to connect Buenos Aires-Rosario-Cordoba in two stages, first from the Argentine capital to Rosario, then from Rosario to Cordoba. High speed trains are growing in use across the world in places like China, France, Germany, and Japan, and with this new project, as well as another in development in Brazil, TGVs may soon change the face of travel in Latin America, where geography and infrastructure have long impaired fast land travel. Alstom is counting on its own success, in the face of competition from German and Japanese companies, with its recent record breaking trial test in France of a high-speed track between Paris and Strassbourg this past April. The train reached an astounding 357 miles per hour.
LAN Boosts Fleet
Chilean-based air carrier LAN has announced a plan to invest $2.6 billion over the course of the next five years, according to Reuters. This translates into the purchase of 52 aircraft for passenger and freight purposes. Despite failing in a bid to take over airline Varig earlier this year and thereby missing out on the chance to expand in the Brazilian market for the time being, LAN has reason to be optimistic about this new investment. Revenues for 2007 are projected to read $3.6 billion, 18.6% higher than in 2006, with passenger traffic for March 2007 already up 30.7%.
Gol Purchases Varig
GOL Linhas Aereas, the second largest Brazilian airline after TAM, has received permission from the National Civil Aviation Agency to purchase Nova Varig, announced the airline this past month. The US$320 million acquisition of the defunct air carrier Varig, gives the low-cost GOL 40.26% control of the national stock market, but allows for the two airlines to operate independently of each other.
Website on Latam Luxury Travel Premieres
A new online guide to luxury travel in Latin America has just premiered, offering upscale travelers authoritative recommendations on the top hotels and best luxury travel opportunities. LuxuryLatinAmerica.com differs from other travel websites in that it is not a booking service, but gives candid reviews by seasoned travel writers who have inspected each property in person. The initial launch includes reviews of top hotels in Argentina, Belize, Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay, with remaining destinations to be added in the coming months.
New Tropical Resort in Panama Doubles as Scientific Research Station
Panama will soon be home to the latest eco-tourism product, IQ Resort, a tropical resort that doubles as a scientific research station, according to an article in the orange County Register. After fifteen years of work and development, a former University of California-Irvine professor and a German investor, who owns several islands off Panama’s Pacific coast, have teamed up to bring about a cutting-edge concept that combines first-rate hospitality with real science and conservation, as well as social awareness. Hana Ayala, founder of the IQ Resorts project explains the resort/research facility differs from other eco-resorts in that guests’ experience is not limited to nature walks and lectures, but actual allows them to take part in the scientific research that is conducted on site. The nature site for this project, which Ayala describes as a ‘flagship’, since she intends to expand her concept throughout the world, consists of two uninhabited, virtually untouched young islands with a rich marine and interesting geological history. Already scientists from the Smithsonian have signed on to help in the environmental integration of the construction planning. They have also made several bird species discoveries. Ultimately, Ayala hopes the success of her vision, which simultaneously benefits local economies while raising financial support for wildlife, will provide a monetary incentive for investors to opt for high-end, low-impact tourism instead of large-scale real estate development that threatens so many tropical habitats.
ECONOMY AND POLITICS
Uruguay’s Economy Expands for Fourth Year Running; 7% in 2006
(Mercopress) – Uruguay’s economy expanded 7% in 2006, boosted by the communications and transport sectors according to the latest release from the country’s Central Bank. This is the fourth year running that the Uruguayan economy has been growing helped by strong international prices for commodities and domestic demand for agriculture and manufactured goods. GDP in the fourth quarter of last year was up 1% over the third quarter. The Central Bank estimates that the Uruguayan economy is set to expand 4.5% in 2007. In 2005 the economy grew 6.6%. “We’re not surprised by the results. An interesting element to underline is the negative effect that certain imports had for the overall economy such as the price of oil”, said economist Adrian Fernandez from a local think tank. However Fernandez said that 2006 was more like a “hinge year” because growth through exports is loosing momentum and the domestic market is beginning to pick up”. With specific regard to retailing, restaurants and hotels, these expanded 3.9% in the fourth quarter of 2006, while transport and communications grew 2.3%.
Peru Looks to The Hague over Maritime Border Dispute
There is a strong possibility that Peru could take its century-old maritime border dispute with Chile to the UN’s International Court in The Hague, following public remarks by Chilean President, Michelle Bachelet, that Chile is not considering any future compromise on the subject. Alan Garcia, who has thus far enjoyed a positive relationship with his Chilean counterpart, has interpreted this as the end of bilateral dialogue between the two countries, and is now seeking legal counsel to decide if the issue warrants a case in the world’s highest court. The territory dispute is rooted in the War of the Pacific, between Chile and the joint forces of Peru and Bolivia. As a result of the war, Peru conceded mineral-rich territory, while Bolivia lost its access to the sea. Despite consequent treaties in the 1950’s, Peru maintains that these borders were never properly defined.
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL
Chile’s Anti-Obesity Campaign for School-aged Children Goes National
(La Tercera) - A successful municipal anti-obesity campaign, said to halve the number of obese school children, is to be implemented nationwide by Chile’s Ministry of Health. The “Casablanca” campaign, named after the pilot municipality in Region V, was developed by the Nutrition Institute (Inta) at the Universidad de Chile and has so far proved effective in cutting the weight of many of the city’s schoolchildren. The campaign is straightforward: more exercise and less junk food. Schools adopting the initiative doubled the hours of physical education, removed all unhealthy snacks from school premises, and promoted the sale of nutritious food. In the southern areas of Chile, where heavy rainfall limits outdoor exercise, thus contributing to the country’s worst obesity rates, some schools invested in roofs to cover part of the playground and purchased more indoor sport equipment. All these measures have led to the cutting of number in dangerously overweight boys taking part in the program from 21.6% to 12.2%, and in girls from 19.4% to 8.7%. This success has convinced the government to begin introducing the Casablanca initiative to 700 schools nation-wide.
Domincan Republic Hosts First Andalucian Festival
This April, the Dominican Republic hosted the Caribbean’s first annual Andalucian Fair, a cultural event that traces its roots back to 1847. The Dominican Republic’s version of the festival is the first to be held outside Seville, Spain. Andalucian heritage is celebrated with horseback processions, flamenco dance performances, music, and gastronomy, as well as more modern elements such as a golf tournament, regattas, and tennis. In the Dominican Today newspaper, Dominican President Leonel Fernandez, who attended the inaugural event with his wife, is quoted as saying that he hopes the fair will increase his country’s profile in the international arena and boost domestic tourism and investments.
Slovenian Man Conquers Amazon in Record Long-Swim
Living in Peru has reported that 52-year old Slovenian man, Martin Strel, has successfully completed the record 3,272-mile swim of the Amazon River in just 66 days. Despite facing an array of grueling and dangerous obstacles during his incredible feat - dizziness, nausea, sunstroke, fatigue, river currents, rain, piranhas, crocodiles, bull sharks, and the proverbial anacondas - Strel, who is also called the ‘fish man’ in some circles, managed to average a pace of 52 miles a day and arrive at his destination four days ahead of schedule. The record-breaking athlete previously completed long-swims of the Danube, Mississippi, and Yangtze.
14th World Women’s Congress Held in Caracas
Venezuela hosted the 14th World Women’s Congress in Caracas this past month, marking the first time the event took place in the Americas, according to Prensa Latina. With more than 1000 representatives from 81 countries, including Iraq and Palestine, the event offered a comprehensive collection of perspectives on the issues of gender equality, globalization, sexual exploitation and human trafficking, health, food security, education, military aggression, and the growing refugee problem around the world. The main focus of this year’s meeting was global peace, with discussions particularly targeting the matter of how to safeguard the increasing number of women and children in war-torn areas. Roundtables were accompanied by a music festival and a book fair.
