Havana, March 9 (RHC) -- President Hugo Chavez proposed a debate to call for the lifting of the U.S. blockade against Cuba and ratified Venezuela’s historical position rejecting the Caribbean island’s exclusion from the Summit of the Americas, to be held in the Colombian city of Cartagena next month.

Quito, March 9 (RHC) -– At the end of a mass rally in Quito’s Plaza de la Independencia, Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa consulted the people whether he should attend the upcoming Summit of the Americas if Cuba is excluded from the meeting.

Brasilia, March 9 (PL-RHC) -- The Secretary General of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20, Sha Zukang, said Friday that Brazil is qualified to ensure the success of the event to be held in June.

San Salvador, March 9 (RHC) -- The Supreme Electoral Court of El Salvador on Friday concluded preparations for the municipal and parliamentary elections scheduled for Sunday, March 11th.

Lima, March 9 (ANDINA-RHC) -- Peruvian Foreign Minister Rafael Roncagliolo has begun an official visit to Uruguay as part of Peru’s foreign policy campaign to strengthen relations with other South American countries.

Belmopan, March 9 (PL-RHC) -- The ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) of Prime Minister Dean Barrow has won Belize’s general election by a slim margin, according to the top electoral officer Josephine Tamai.

Quito, March 9 (Xinhua-RHC) -- A state of emergency was declared Thursday for five Ecuadorian provinces where floods triggered by winter rains have left 20 people dead and 2,823 displaced.

Beijing, March 9 (RHC)-- China is sending an envoy to Saudi Arabia, Egypt and France to explain Beijing's proposal for a cease-fire in Syria.  Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin announced Friday at a regular press briefing in Beijing that Assistant Foreign Affairs Minister Zhang Ming will meet with Arab League leaders during the seven-day trip, which begins Sunday.

Moscow, March 9 (RHC)-- Russia has reiterated that will oppose any UN Security Council resolution on Syria which endorses the use of force.  Moscow has also rejected the new text sponsored by the U.S. that could be voted on Monday, saying that it is "not balanced."

Damascus, March 9 (RHC)-- Syrian opposition forces are rejecting calls from former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan for dialogue with the Syrian government.  Annan, now the joint United Nations-Arab League envoy to Syria, warned against military intervention on Thursday and said a resolution to the Syria conflict lies in a "political settlement."

Damascus, March 9 (RHC)-- A document released by the WikiLeaks website affirms that undercover U.S.-led NATO forces are operating inside Syria against the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

Tehran, March 9 (RHC)-- Any attack or threat of attack on nuclear installations is a violation of international law, according to a  senior Iranian diplomat, strongly criticizing Israel's growing war rhetoric and threats against Iran's peaceful nuclear program.

Tel Aviv, March 9 (RHC)-- The Barack Obama administration has reportedly offered Israel upgraded military weaponry in exchange for delaying an attack on Iran until next year, after the November elections.

Washington, March 9 (RHC)-- U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta appeared before the annual gathering of the pro-Israeli government lobbying group AIPAC.  Echoing Obama’s speech to the group on earlier this week, Panetta vowed the United States would use force against Iran if need be.

Ramallah, March 9 (RHC)-- In the Occupied Territories, two Palestinian children were killed when an abandoned Israeli mortar exploded in the Occupied West Bank.