MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Charles Leclerc likes a nice steak and is a long way from following Lewis Hamilton in going vegan but, like every Formula One driver, Ferrari's young ace is interested in any advantage he can get.

SAN JOSE (Reuters) - Costa Rican Finance Minister Rocio Aguilar resigned on Wednesday in the middle of a fiscal reform push aimed at avoiding problems with future debt payments, but which has been sharply criticized over austerity measures.

MEXICO CITY, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Charles Leclerc likes a nice steak and is a long way from following Lewis Hamilton in going vegan but, like every Formula One driver, Ferrari's young ace is interested in any advantage he can get.

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazil's environment minister said on Wednesday that the government will call on the Organization of American States (OAS) to demand an answer from Venezuela over a mysterious oil spill that has affected a large part of Brazil's northeastern coast.

QUITO (Reuters) - Ecuador's indigenous movement said on Wednesday that it paused talks with President Lenin Moreno because of the government's "persecution" of the group's leaders since a halt to violent anti-austerity protests.

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Chile´s central bank on Wednesday slashed its benchmark interest rate to 1.75% from 2%, its third major rate cut since June, as protests over economic inequality rocked the South American nation.

SANTIAGO, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Chile, known as one of Latin America's wealthiest, most stable and peaceful countries, is in the grip of a political and economic upheaval with thousands of people protesting since Oct. 6 after the government increased public transportation fares.

NEW YORK/MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's finance ministry has completed a majority of its annual oil hedging program, working with at least four top investment banks and oil major Royal Dutch Shell , sources said, after challenges slowed the world's largest oil financial deal this year.

BRASILIA (Reuters) - The governor of Brazil's southern state Rio Grande do Sul, Eduardo Leite, said on Wednesday he wants to avoid the privatization of the regional bank controlled by the state.