■ Venezuela
Gringo customs discouraged
No more milk and cookies for Santa Claus this year -- not, at least, in public offices. President Hugo Chavez's government says it's not prohibiting the use of Santa Claus images and Christmas trees, but acknowledges that it hopes public employees will avoid decorating their offices with symbols that aren't traditionally Venezuelan this December. For decades, Venezuelans have been decorating their homes, offices and stores with lights, decorated evergreens and images of the bearded Father Christmas. Some supporters of the nationalist leader, who has cast himself as a defender of the country against US "imperialism," have called such symbols part of "gringo customs" that are contrary to those of the South American nation.
■ Mexico
Grenades rock resort city
Two grenades exploded at a residential building in a resort city, hours before President Vicente Fox and president-elect Felipe Calderon arrived in the area to participate in a business forum, police said on Tuesday. No one was injured in the attacks and there was no evidence they were connected either to the presidential visit or to bombings less than a day before that targeted political and commercial buildings in the capital. The attacks occurred late on Monday in the town of Ixtapa in the state of Guerrero, 300km southwest of Mexico City.
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