El Salvador's ruling alliance shows slight lead in elections
 Initial results showed that El Salvador's ruling alliance has gathered 39.4 percent of the votes in parliamentary elections, slightly ahead of the main opposition with 39.1 percent, the electoral court said Monday in the capital San Salvador.

Chile's new president says to reform pensions, open nurseries
Chile will promote democracy and give priorities to pension reform, free health care and building of nursery schools, newly inaugurated President Michelle Bachelet told reporters on Monday.

President's parties win Colombian congressional elections
The biggest winners in Colombia's weekend congressional elections were the parties supporting incumbent President Alvaro Uribe in his bid for re-election in May, local media reported on Monday.

Andean Community hopes to begin free trade talks with EU
The Andean Community hopes to kick off free trade talks with the European Union (EU) at the EU, Latin America and the Caribbean Summit scheduled for May 12-13 in Vienna, bloc's Secretary-General Allan Wagner Tizon said on Monday.