Income gap shrinks in Chile, for better or worse
(This article was written by Eduardo Porter and was published in The New York Times on December 2, 2014) Chile is a stellar performer by almost any standard. Income per person has grown fourfold over the last quarter-century. Today,many Chileans, rightly, see their nation as within shouting range of the advanced industrial world. Yet for all its economic success, the shanties sprawling outside of town are a sharp reminder that Chile has still not shaken the curse that has plagued Latin America for centuries:…
Brazil – Still a new rising Global Power ?
Brazil – Still a new rising Global Power ? Brazil is a regional pole of power in the Western Hemisphere, and a nation of growing stature, visibility, and influence in global affairs. In South America, it has displaced the U.S. as the dominant presence on many issues. Aside from China and India, with their mega-populations and rapid economic growth over many years, and Russia, with its huge reservoir of natural resources and still considerable military prowess, Brazil is the most powerful developing country…
Argentina outspends the rest of Latin America in education
Argentina outspends the rest of Latin America in education Argentina is one of the biggest investors in education throughout Latin America, according to an Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development study, which noted that Argentina allocated 6.3 percent of its GDP to education in 2012, compared to the five-percent average for the region and 5.6 percent for the OECD as a whole. The OECD is made up by an estimated 80 countries. President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner praised the study yesterday,…
Why Potential Investors in Chile should not use the Investor Visa
The “Investor Visa” in Chile although easy to obtain in the first year is much more difficult to keep in the second year. With the investor visa you are essentially making the Chilean department of immigration your business partner in Chile. First, to apply for an investor visa in Chile you must submit a business plan along with documentation related to things such as financing, incorporation plans, possibly any partnerships, and so on. This normally increases dramatically upfront cost required and time…
Lapostolle Residence, Colchagua Valley, Chile
When Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle came to Chile’s Colchagua Valley two decades ago, the area was a viticultural backwater. But the Grand Marnier heiress, who cofounded the valley’s Lapostolle winery in 1994, was convinced she could coax first growth–quality vintages from the granitic soil. Her premier blend, Clos Apalta, attests her prescience, most convincingly with its selection as Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year in 2008. That same year, Lapostolle launched another Colchagua Valley first: a luxury…
Bahía Vik, José Ignacio, Uruguay
Jet-setters flocking to José Ignacio for the short, swank social season have a third Vik Retreat to try. Bahía Vik is now open. Why Go: During January and February, the tiny Uruguayan beach town of José Ignacio welcomes the rich and famous. An alternative to staying among the high-rises of the nearby resort city of Punta de Este, the outpost welcomes visitors down dirt roads to stylish boutique hotels and family-owned restaurants. Applauding at polo matches is a popular pastime, as are browsing one-off shops,…
A new study shows Argentina is a relatively safe country in which to live
WHO figures show Argentina is relatively safe country in world’s most violent region Homicide rates in Latin America are the highest in the world — clocking in at 28.5 per 100,000 inhabitants — but estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO) place Argentina in line with the best in the region with about six homicides per 100,000 inhabitants. According to the WHO, in 2012 165,617 people were murdered in Latin America and the Caribbean, making up about 35 percent of the the 475,000 homicides committed…
Chilean agriculture is expected to become part of the 10 largest food exporters in the world by 2020
Agriculture in Chile is a strategically important sector. The objective is to make Chile part of the 10 largest food exporters in the world by 2020. At the moment Chile is round about No: 20. From the beginning of this century food export increased by an average of 12% annually. Further processing and surplus values are central in the policy. Primary production is only a small part of the gross national product. Because of the closed-in position of the country sanitary provisions are second to none and these…
Global Food Security Depends on Modern Agricultural Techniques
Studies released at a symposium in Washington, D.C. underscored the wide range of benefits modern agriculture has provided to society and emphasized the importance of continued innovation and new technologies to meeting growing global food, feed, fiber and industrial needs. Research presented by a diverse group of experts in agriculture, economics, conservation and food security detailed how technological advancements employed on farms and across the food chain have provided an abundant, safe, affordable food…
Is the International money transfer system about to change due to US Interference in the existing one ?
You probably know the SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) system as that little jumble of letters and numbers you need every time you send money to a foreign bank account. It’s the global banking system’s address book and postal system. SWIFT has more than 10,000 members in more than 200 countries, and handles more than 15 million messages daily. But even though SWIFT is based in Belgium, and subject to EU law, the U.S. government claims legal authority over all SWIFT transactions…
Argentina benefits short term from falling oil prices
The worst selloff in crude oil since the financial crisis is turning into a bullish sign for Argentina’s bond investors. Whilst oil-exporting nations such as Venezuela have been battered as the U.S. benchmark price tumbled to a five-year low last week, the decline may help cut Argentina’s record fuel import costs by as much as 20 percent in 2015, according to former energy minister Daniel Montamat, who now runs consulting company Montamat & Asociados. The savings would bolster foreign currency reserves…
How to choose an effective selling broker in South America
South America’s real estate market can be characterised by two important facts. Properties take longer to sell and have higher transaction costs than in most Western countries Why? Although it is slowly changing there is considerable informal selling both by vendors directly and speculative pricing. The end result is a confused market with little price transparency and few skilled brokers available. (Selling skills can be obtained two ways; by experience through selling large numbers of properties or by specialised…
Would you like to savour the adventure of Dakar 2015 from your backyard?
Would you like to savour the adventure of Dakar 2015 from your backyard? The Dakar adventure began in 1977 in Africa. Thierry Sabine got lost on his motorbike in the Libyan desert during the course of the Abidjan-Nice rally. Saved in the extremis from the sands, he returned to France fascinated by the sights and decided to share it with others his discovery. Thus, the race route out of Europe was first formed. The route to Algiers crossing Agadez before eventually finishing at Dakar, Africa. The founder coined…
LAN CHILE to introduce a 787 Dreamliner service to the Sydney-Santiago route
LAN CHILE to introduce a 787 Dreamliner service to the Sydney-Santiago route LAN will upgrade its daily Sydney-Auckland-Santiago service from the Airbus A340-300 to the Boeing 787 from April 18 2015. The Chile-based airline said in a statement the Dreamliner used to Sydney would be configured with 30 business and 217 economy seats for a total of 247, suggesting LAN planned to use the original 787-8 to operate the route. LAN’s 787-9s, to be delivered from 2015, will have 313 seats, according to the airline’s…
Argentina is the top tourist destination in South America
Argentina will welcome some nearly six million visitors in 2014. Unlike previous periods most of these tourists ( 75% ) are Latin American with Europeans and North Americans mostly staying away. Chile, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay being the top sources of visitors. In 2003, just as the country was crawling out of its last economic crisis, almost three million international travellers visited Argentina. Ten years later, the country is on track to welcome a record number of visitors, with the Tourism Ministry…
