Top 10 News Events in Latin America in 2002

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Top 10 News Events in Latin America in 2002

The following are the top 10 news events that took place in Latin America in 2002, as selected by the Xinhua News Agency:

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The following are the top 10 news events that took place in Latin America in 2002, as selected by the Xinhua News Agency:

1. ARGENTINA -- Argentina ended the year immersed in an unprecedented political, economic and social crisis, with frequentdemonstrations and no signs of a financial agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The gross domestic product (GDP)of the country in 2002 contracted 12 percent.

2. BRAZIL -- Following Argentina's collapse in December 2001, international financial markets cast a nervous eye toward Brazil, especially as Workers' Party standard-bearer Luiz Inacio "Lula" daSilva was obviously the favorite to win Brazil's 2002 presidentialelection.

On Oct. 27, Brazil elected its first leftist president, Lula, who will take office on Jan. 1, 2003.

3. VENEZUELA -- President Hugo Chavez survived an ephemeral coup d'etat over April 12 to 14, but ended the year crippled by a general strike headed by the opposition demanding his resignation.

The Venezuelan opposition staged a nationwide strike on Dec. 2,demanding the immediate resignation of President Hugo Chavez, who had refused to hold an early referendum by next August, or to resign immediately.

The strike crippled the oil industry in Venezuela, the world's fifth largest oil exporter, with its oil production reduced from 2.8 million to only about 200,000 barrels per day. The shutdown of oil exports from Venezuela helped push oil prices on the international market to their highest levels in two years.

4. MEXICO -- This year, Mexico held two important internationalconferences. One was the international convention of financing fordevelopment sponsored by the United Nations and held at the northern city of Monterrey, in March. The other was the 2002 meeting of leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)forum, in the northwest tourist resort of Los Cabos, in October. The participants included leaders of different nations and regions committed to combating terrorism and intensifying trade.

5. COLOMBIA -- Peace talks between the government and the guerrillas broke down. Outgoing president Andres Pastrana canceledpeace talks on Feb. 20 with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), and on May 31 with the National Liberation Army (ELN). The new Colombian President, Alvaro Uribe, intensified combat against the guerrillas.

The United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), the largest paramilitary group in Colombia, declared on Dec. 1 a unilateral cease-fire, promising to end all attacks on rebels while its leaders explored the possibility of peace talks with the government.

6. URUGUAY -- The Argentine economic crisis reached Uruguay where, because of a mass outflow of foreign currency, authorities ordered the closing of banks from July 30 to Aug. 5.

7. PERU and EL SALVADOR -- United States President George Bush visited Peru on March 23 to show his support for his Peruvian counterpart, Alejandro Toledo, in a Latin American tour that concluded in El Salvador. There the visiting leader, on March 24, offered the beginning of free trade talks between United States and Central America.

8. CUBA -- Former US President James Carter visited Cuba on May12 to 17, becoming the first high-ranking political personality ofthe North American country to visit the island in the 40 years of economic embargo imposed by Washington.

9. NICARAGUA -- Former Nicaraguan president, Arnoldo Aleman, accused by his successor Enrique Bolanos of embezzling 100 millionUS dollars from the country's reserves, was put under house arrestafter his congress immunity was removed.

10. ECUADOR -- Thousands of tons of ashes released by Reventador Volcano since Nov. 3 fell over Quito, forcing its international airport to close and school activities to be suspended for almost a week.

Source: Xinhua News Agency

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