With elections in December, the next president of Chile will, like counterparts across the region, face challenges to ensure the country’s continued socioeconomic prosperity. Santiago looks to renewable energy, liquid natural gas, and potentially nuclear power to satisfy its energy needs.
Chile
During the week of the United Nations General Assembly, Americas Society and Council of the Americas hosted private and public programs with the presidents of Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay.
The H1N1 virus has cropped up across the Western Hemisphere. As North America prepares for flu season, lessons learned during the Southern Cone's winter provide insight to H1N1 response.
Speaking at the 2009 Latin American Cities Conference in Santiago, Canadian Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty emphasized the importance of inter-American cooperation for economic recovery and said that the success of Ottowa's free trade agreement with Chile demonstrates Canada's increasing ties with the region.
In her Introductory remarks at the annual Santiago de Chile Conference, AS/COA's Susan Segal said that in the face of the global economic downturn, Chile's successes provide a strong example of the importance of free trade. (en espanol)
Chilean Minister of Finance Andrés Velasco, Canadian Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty, and World Bank President Robert Zoellick joined AS/COA's Santiago conference. Topics included the global economic downturn in Latin America, Chile's response, and the role that hemispheric integration and investment will play in recovery.
A newcomer has transformed the generally staid chess match of Chilean politics into a lively three-horse race ahead of December’s presidential elections. But some suggest Marco Enríquez-Ominami short political career renders his campaign more flash than substance.