'Crouching Tiger' - Latin America in China's sights
Columnist: Thomas Manning
FEATURE STORIES
Mexico's leftist president creates new style of government

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's first 100 days in office have combined a compulsive shedding of presidential trappings with a dizzying array of policy initiatives, and a series of missteps haven't even dented his soaring approval ratings. 

​Lopez Obrador has answered more questions from the press, flown in more economy-class flights, posed for more selfies with admiring citizens and visited more genuinely risky areas with little or no security than several combined decades of his predecessors. He's also surprised many by maintaining a cordial relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump, helping contain Central American migrant caravans while resisting U.S. efforts to oust the leftist government of Venezuela.

Fox News
Trump dangles investment to Caribbean leaders who back Venezuela's Guaido

U.S. President Donald Trump pledged investment in a rare meeting on Friday with five Caribbean leaders who have sided with the United States in backing Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as head of state, the White House said.

In photo above President Trump and Melania Trump with St Lucia Prime Minister Allen Chastanet, Dominican Republic President Danilo Medina, Jamaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness, Haiti President Jovenel Moise and Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., 
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Reuters
Which are the most expensive and cheapest neighborhoods to rent in Buenos Aires
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In the month of January 2019, the average rent in the city of Buenos Aires rose by 1.9%. However, over the past year, the increases were 10 points less than inflation leading to poor returns for landlords.

After a year in which they ended with increases below inflation, rents began in 2019 with a rise of 1.9%  according to a survey conducted by the property website ZonaProp. “In 2018, rents closed with a rise of 38%, 10 points less than accumulated inflation
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GTSA - NewsBlog
'New Zealand and the Loss of Innocence'
Columnist: Thomas Manning'
DIPLOMATIC, TRADE & CULTURAL NEWS

Bringing the work of James K Baxter to the Spanish speaking world
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Famous New Zealand literary figure James K Baxter (photo left above) lived fast, died young, and left more than 600 pages of poetry in his wake.  Caleb Harris's output is arguably less prodigious but what he has done is introduce Baxter to the Spanish speaking world.  Over the course of a decade, Harris (photo right above) – a former Stuff reporter-turned-firefighter – has translated 21 of Baxter's poems into Spanish.

The genesis for a new book, 'The Māori Jesus & Other Poems' - 'El Jesús Maorí y otros poemas', came 10 years ago when Harris was in Colombia studying a masters in literature, in Spanish.  He and a friend, Íkaro Valderrama, translated six of Baxter's poems for a university magazine and got them published before they started thinking of a book. Harris returned to New Zealand and Valderrama started a publishing company, Lobo Blanco Editores, in Colombia, which went on to publish the book there.
The Argentine Government has set up a special agency to assist foreign investors through all investment stages (analysis, decision making, execution, post-investment and reinvestment).  You can Contact the agency here & View or Download the Investment Guide.

The Traditional Cuisine of Chile​
Chilean cuisine is fairly simple but varied and seafood, beef, fruit and vegetables all feature heavily. The cuisine stems from a combination of traditional Spanish cuisine, Chilean indigenous culture and local ingredients and is influenced by German, Italian and French cuisines. The country’s unique geography and climate has resulted in an abundance of fruit, vegetables and other agricultural products. The country is probably best known for its seafood with an immense array being caught along its vast coastline. 
The Humboldt Current is responsible for bringing in a rich supply of seafood (including paua, razor clams, mussels, spider crabs, oysters, conger eels, salmon swordfish, hake, tuna and sole). Grilled meats are also popular and beef now tends to be more common than llama meat, having being brought in by Europeans. Other popular foods include stews, empanadas, corn, beans, potatoes and exotic tropical fruits such as lucuma and cherimoya. - chimuadventures.com
'Brazil's Messiah' - A new President takes Charge
Columnist: Thomas Manning

​VIDEO - LATAM/NZ BUSINESS & ECONOMICS
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How U.S. Involvement In Central America Led To a Border Crisis

Thousands of Central American refugees and migrants have been coming to the Mexico-U.S. border for almost 40 years. While much of the conversation has focused on Central Americans escaping violence, there hasn't been much on why there's so much violence in the region to begin with. The story? Almost 200 years of U.S. intervention.
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Italy's Unofficial Colonies in South America (Argentino Italiano and Italiano Brasileiro)

The video discusses Italy's unofficial colonies in South America, seeing how Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil have the largest percentage of ethnic Italians anywhere in the world outside of Italy itself. Just how and why do these South American countries have such a huge number of people of Italian ancestry, and in what ways have Italians impacted their culture?

Credit squeeze making loans cheaper but harder to get

​A weekly New Zealand Herald  Videocast  about the NZ economy by Business Editor Liam Dann & Guests. 
'Quid Pro Quo for Venezuela'
Columnist Thomas Manning
LATIN AMERICAN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
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Latin America's prospects cut with activity seen remaining sluggish overall in 2019

April 10, 2019 - Latin America’s economy is seen improving this year due to a faster recovery in Brazil and a smaller drag from Argentina. However, prospects were cut this month and activity is seen staying sluggish overall, weighed on by slowing exports and high uncertainty. Political risk, especially in Argentina in the run-up to elections, and concerns over fiscal accounts cloud the outlook.
Latin America is projected to grow 2.1% in 2019, down 0.1 percentage points from last month's forecast. For 2020, Latin America is expected to grow 2.5%.
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Despite Trump, US-Latin America Trade Up

Brazil only country outside of US with billionaire growth past year. Despite the protectionist policies and threats from The White House and US president Donald Trump, US trade with Mexico and Latin America have grown during his two years in power. US trade with Latin America grew 9 percent last year to a record $897.6 billion, according to a Latinvex analysis of new US Census Bureau data of trade in goods. That follows 7 percent trade growth in 2017. Both figures contrast with declines in 2016 and 2015.
'Demented Reef Fish'
Columnist Thomas Manning

NEWSLETTERS, BLOGS & PRESS RELEASES
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CUBA IN NEW ZEALAND

  1. Leima Martínez Freire, director of Asia and Oceania of the Cuban Institute of Friendship (ICAP), met in Wellington on 3 April 19 with members of the Association of Friendship with Cuba
  2. Cuban Ambassador signs condolence book at New Zealand Parliament
  3. Cubans in New Zealand, stars of the Aotearoa Cuban Festival
  4. Cuban Friendship Association in Auckland expresses support for constitutional reform process in Cuba
  5. Wellington, January 23rd, 2019. Third Secretary Saimin Fis Abad was invited by the team of Radio Que Onda to share all the information related to the Cuba Photo Contest​



Business News and information from the NZ Government


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New Zealand Trade & Enterprise, March 2019

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​​LANZBC March 2019 Newsletter

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South America Land Prices Review




​Monthly Newsletter of the Argentine Chamber of Commerce for
​Asia and the Pacific (Spanish Language)



The Bubble Podcast every Friday evening (BUE time) focusing on
​the stories that made the headlines during the week in Argentina. 


exchange rates, stock markets & tenders
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'New Broom in Mexico'
 Columnist; Thomas Manning

PUBLISHER & EDITOR
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​'Transpacific Business Digest' © is a free fortnightly E-digest aggregating New Zealand - Latin American Business News, Economic Analysis, Market Reports & Video published by Manning Group Limited and edited by Thomas Manning who has advised on and managed projects for New Zealand companies in Latin America for over 30 years,  Thomas is a former Vice President of the Latin America New Zealand Business Council and is a Buenos Aires Times Columnist who also writes regularly for EMA's BusinessPLus Magazine. Thomas' Linkedin Profile & Media Archive

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 'Muy Simpatico, Mr Tabuteau'
 Columnist; Thomas Manning
Transpolar flight grows NZ trade opportunities in Latin America
Columnist; Thomas Manning

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With 40 years’ marketplace experience and exports to more than twenty countries from its plant in Rosario, Argentina, Condor Group SRL is a world-class manufacturer with divisions dedicated to industrial power generation, industrial air compressors and pneumatic equipment, and specialized tyre reconstruction for commercial fleet operators.
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​Richardson & Associates is the Southern Cone's leading Law Firm & Patent Attorneys specalising in New Zealand Trade



​Camara del Asia y el Pacifico is a Buenos Aires-based chamber of commerce with member companies dealing with foreign trade, banking, finance, air and sea transport, insurance, tourism, education, investment,  services in Asia and the Pacific.


​Transpacific Business Tours’ directors have a successful track-record of over 30 years in tour management in New Zealand and throughout Latin America with a focus on Delegations & Trade Missions as well as personally guided tours tailored for investors & business people.
Latin America trade trifecta in sight for New Zealand
Columnist; Thomas Manning
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