Chile Locks Down 20% of Population to Combat Second Virus Wave
Jan 12 2021, 6:38 PM
January 11 2021, 10:59 PM
January 12 2021, 6:38 PM
(Bloomberg) Chileâs government said it will more than double the number of municipalities under strict coronavirus lockdowns in coming days to combat a resurgence in the pandemic.
(Bloomberg) Chileâs government said it will more than double the number of municipalities under strict coronavirus lockdowns in coming days to combat a resurgence in the pandemic.
The number of municipalities under full lockdown will increase to 42 from 18, Health Minister Enrique Paris said in a televised press conference on Monday. Roughly 3.9 million of a total population of 18 million will now be living under those restrictions, Paris said.
Copper Output May Suffer If Pandemic Drags On, Chile Group Says
Bloomberg 1/21/2021 James Attwood
(Bloomberg) Top copper producer Chile managed to navigate the pandemic disruptions that stalled mining in other countries, churning out more metal last year than in 2019.
That helped keep Chinese refineries supplied at a time of market tightness and high prices. But while Chile is well prepared to operate through a second wave of infections, eventually output could suffer, according to a group representing industry heavyweights.
Mines such as BHP Group’s Escondida and those run by state-owned Codelco are reinstating restrictions used in the initial phase of the pandemic such as demobilizing some workers and asking others to work remotely to safeguard staff and maintain operations as infection rates rise in Chile. They can do that by delaying non-essential activities such as maintenance and earthwork preparations.
Chilean Lawmakers Push for Restrictions on Chinese Buying Spree
Valentina Fuentes, Bloomberg News
(Bloomberg) A group of Chilean legislators are proposing tighter rules on foreign investment in strategic industries after a Chinese state-owned company agreed to take control of over half of the South American countryâs power distribution.
Lower house members from both the opposition and the ruling coalition presented a bill that would allow congress to block acquisitions of strategic assets by foreign state-owned companies, with debate set to begin this week.
State Grid Corp. of China announced in November it would pay Naturgy Energy Group SA $3 billion for control of Chilean utility CGE. If the deal gets final regulatory approval, the company would control 57% of the countryâs power distribution a move that wouldnât necessarily hurt existing laws. The Chinese company, the worldâs largest utility, currently owns 11% of that market through CGE peer Chilquinta