Through the creation of four new state-owned companies, President Ortega seeks to control the exploration and exploitation of oil in Nicaragua, as well as the import, storage, distribution and marketing of gas and fuels.
With the approval of the law initiatives, the government seeks to transfer the control that Alba de Nicaragua S.A. used to have in this market.
A bill will be presented to the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala to require public accountants, auditors, lawyers and notaries to report their transactions.
The bill seeking to broaden the scope of regulated persons’ subject to money laundering control, which will be presented by the Superintendence of Banks (SIB), is aimed primarily at professionals as individuals, but will also include real estate companies, vehicle agencies and casinos.
The government has extended until December prices controls on 22 basic food basket products and added six more to the list.
The products that make up the list are vegetable oil, french bread, fresh milk, medium apple, orange juice, sea bass, chicken soup with noodles, soda, oranges, sugar, ham unpackaged, evaporated milk, barjack fish, coffee, lettuce, tomato paste, plantains, bananas, fruit drinks, corn tortilla, mayonnaise, margarine, tomato, carrot, tea, garlic and salt.
In Costa Rica the cost that petroleum and its derivatives represent for the productive activities is an example of the distortions caused by the State in the prices of a vital input for the economy.
From a statement issued by the Chamber of Industries of Costa Rica (ICRC):
The Chamber of Industries of Costa Rica has questioned the increase requested by RECOPE on February 13.
President Perez Molina is betting on modern technology in immigration control and movement of goods to prevent and combat crime.
From a press release issued by the Government of Panama:
President Otto Perez Molina referred to the key role of technology in security and the fight against crime and reaffirmed the government's commitment to modernize the institutions of crime prosecution and strengthen the country's justice system.
The strategies for El Salvador to enter into Petrocaribe include the creation of a state run company for importing and marketing petroleum products.
Elmundo.com.sv reports that "José Luis Merino , FMLN leader and senior advisor to Alba Petroleos in El Salvador, says the party does not have an agreement model to join Petrocaribe, in the case that they win the presidential election next year. "
For all the statements made to the contrary by government officials in El Salvador, the truth can't be hidden: legal certainty is the primary factor in making investment decisions.
EDITORIAL
An article published in Elmundo.com.sv entitled "Conflict of LaGeo Still Affecting Investment", reports that "according to the Government, the legal battle for majority control of the power generation company LaGeo has not caused, for the moment, concern among potential investors who may be attracted to the country. "
The President of El Salvador has expressed suspicions that the original contract with the Italian company was changed "in the dark" by government officials.
The president referred to the subject in his radio program last Saturday, saying, "I've asked a group of lawyers to study the documents surrounding all investments with the Italian shareholders and it will be these specialists who might be able to shed a light on this illegal act, including even asking the Attorney General's Office to establish whether criminal liability be established in the future. "
After the last judgment which was unfavorable to El Salvador, officials have announced the continuation of the legal battle against Enel.
Representatives from the Executive Hydroelectric Commission of the Lempa River (CEL) reported that they will abide by the decision of the Parisian Court of Appeals which means that the Italian company ENEL can capitalize the geothermal company LaGeo and become the majority shareholder in the company.
The decision of the Paris Court of Appeals means that ENEL can become the majority shareholder in the geothermal company La Geo.
This new resolution validates the verdict of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)’s Court of Arbitration, issued in July 2011.
According to Elsalvador.com: "In a note sent to the National Stock Market Commission (CNMV), Enel’s renewables subsidiary reports that the French court "had rejected Ine’s appeal to override the award in its favor, confirming that the trial was conducted fairly," according to the news agency Europa Press.
Latin America is one of the most promising renewable energy markets for Enel Green Power, which plans to invest more than 2 billion Euros by 2016 for the development of renewable energy in the region.
Latin America is a rapidly expanding market, where it is expected that energy demand will have an average annual growth of 3.5% by 2020.
To meet this growing demand, "renewables will play an important role and we have about 830 MW of renewable capacity in operation, capable of producing over 3.4 million kilowatt hours of energy with zero emissions," said Enel Green Power (EGP)’s area manager for Iberia and Latin America Maurizio Bezzeccheri in a recent interview.
The crisis of the distributor Gas Natural could lead to Albanisa’s entry into the business, controlled by pro-government interests.
Laprensa.com.ni reports that "the Minister of Energy and Mines, Emilio Rappaccioli, announced that they are close to reaching an agreement in the negotiations which the government and the power distribution company, Natural Gas have been holding over the last few months."
CEL has filed a motion to quash the ruling that would allow Enel to have a majority stake in LaGeo geothermal plant.
Tóchez Irving, president of the Commission of the Lempa River Hydroelectric Executive, said: "It is inappropriate to put a country’s strategic resource, such as a geothermal plant, into private hands," when presenting the proceedings before the court of appeals in Paris, France.
The two governments have formed the company "Grannacional de Alimentos", which will channel exports from Venezuela to Nicaragua.
Initially, the organization will handle exports of foods such as jam, banana, fruit juices, milk, tuna and cocoa powder.
Juan Carlos Jimenez, president of the Venezuelan Food Corporation, explained: "We have under agreement with Nicaragua imports of beef, long life milk, and coffee, among other things, and also we have established strategies to ensure other requirements of agricultural items for our country in the coming months . "
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