It’s good to be number one, even if it’s only in Latin America

It’s good to be number one, even if it’s only in Latin America. Just ask Carlos Slim.

The Mexican billionaire may have lost his place as the world’s richest man to Microsoft’s Bill Gates, but he still sits atop the pile in his regional turf, according to Forbes magazine.

While there are 114 billionaires in Latin America worth a total of $440 billion, the Mexican telecom magnate’s $72 billion fortune puts him well ahead of No. 2 Jorge Paulo Lemann, a Brazilian private equity giant worth $19.7 billion.

Slim may take the overall prize . . .