LATAM POLITICS TODAY-Chile offers to host Colombian peace talks with rebels

16, even as he sought to downplay any possible fallout with the United States. Argentina's Fernandez bets on 'superministry' to stop economic bleeding BUENOS AIRES - Argentine President Alberto Fernandez launched his latest effort to tackle an economy in crisis on Thursday, tapping one of the ruling coalition's most powerful figures to lead a new "superministry" on the same day the central bank hiked its key interest rate to 60%. Fernandez picked politician Sergio Massa for the new role of overseeing economic, manufacturing and agricultural policy.

The latest in Latin American politics today:

Chile offers to host ELN peace talks SANTIAGO - Colombia's vice president-elect Francia Marquez said Thursday night that Chile had offered to host peace talks between the Colombian government and Colombia's National Liberation Army (ELN) rebel group.

During a speech at the University of Chile, Marquez said that Chilean President Gabriel Boric "offered his home, Chile, as a site for peace talks" during a meeting at La Moneda presidential palace in Santiago earlier in the day. Colombian President-elect Gustavo Petro and the ELN have expressed interest in restarting peace talks that started in 2017 under President Juan Manuel Santos, but stalled under current President Ivan Duque.

President's tough talk masks Mexican concern over energy dispute with U.S. MEXICO CITY - A potentially costly U.S.-led complaint against Mexico's energy policy has stirred considerable concern inside the Mexican government in spite of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's defiant attitude, officials and people close to the matter say.

Last week, the U.S. Trade Representative demanded dispute settlement talks with Mexico, arguing Lopez Obrador's drive to tighten state control of the energy market is unfair to U.S. companies and likely in breach of a regional trade deal. With rousing appeals to national sovereignty, Lopez Obrador said he would set out Mexico's position on the issue alongside an independence day military parade on Sept. 16, even as he sought to downplay any possible fallout with the United States.

Argentina's Fernandez bets on 'superministry' to stop economic bleeding BUENOS AIRES - Argentine President Alberto Fernandez launched his latest effort to tackle an economy in crisis on Thursday, tapping one of the ruling coalition's most powerful figures to lead a new "superministry" on the same day the central bank hiked its key interest rate to 60%.

Fernandez picked politician Sergio Massa for the new role of overseeing economic, manufacturing and agricultural policy. Massa currently heads the lower house of Congress for the ruling Peronist coalition. Fernandez spoke by phone with International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on Friday to discuss the South American nation's path following the appointment of Massa to the new post.

The ministerial shake-up, which moves current Economy Minister Silvina Batakis to lead state-run lender Banco Nacion, comes less than a month after her predecessor abruptly resigned. Peru's Castillo marks one year in power amid corruption investigation

Peru's President Pedro Castillo marked one year since his inauguration earlier this week, a milestone in a term tainted by a corruption investigation against him, high turnover among ministers and an impeachment attempt. Both pro-Castillo and anti-government protesters took to the streets to mark the occasion, although overall his popularity has dwindled since he took office.

London court rules against Venezuela's Maduro in $1 billion gold battle London's High Court has rejected President Nicolas Maduro's latest efforts to gain control of more than $1 billion of Venezuela's gold reserves stored in the Bank of England's underground vaults in London.

The court ruled on Friday that previous decisions by the Maduro-backed Venezuelan Supreme Court, aimed at reducing opposition leader Juan Guaido's say over the gold, should be disregarded. It marked the latest victory for Guaido, who has won a series of legal clashes over the bullion after the British government recognized him rather than Maduro as the South American country's president. (Compiled by Isabel Woodford and Anthony Esposito; Editing by Paul Simao and Alistair Bell)

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