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President
Bush Renews Attention to Latin America with 5-Country Tour |
Posted:
03.14.07
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President Bush finished a six-day trip to Latin America, where
he has been trying to strengthen U.S. economic ties and address
social issues affecting the region.
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The visit -- which included stops in Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia,
Guatemala and Mexico -- comes at a time when the Bush  administration
is increasingly unpopular in Latin America for its economic policies,
the war in Iraq and its tough stance on immigration.
In all five countries, the president was met by crowds of protesters,
some of whom held signs that read "Yankee go home" and
"Bush is a terrorist."
The president brushed off the protests, however, and used each
stop to reiterate his commitment to helping solve some of Latin
America's most chronic social problems such as poverty, crime,
immigration and drug trafficking.
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A new message
for Latin America |
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In a speech outlining his policy in the region, Mr. Bush said
it was "a scandal" that in a world of growing prosperity
"nearly one out of four people in Latin America lives on
less than $2 a day. Many children never finish grade school; many
mothers never see a doctor."
 In
addition to highlighting the increase in aid to the region over
the last six years, the president proposed spending another $75
million over the next three years to help more Latin Americans
learn English and study in the United States.
He also unveiled a $385 million plan to help underwrite home
mortgages for working-class families in Mexico, Brazil, Chile
and Central America, the Washington Post reported.
During the week, Mr. Bush spoke with the presidents of Mexico
and Guatemala about reforming U.S. immigration law to make it
safer for people coming to the United States to work.
Last year, Mr. Bush signed a law to build more than 700 miles
of fencing along the U.S. border with Mexico. The plan has drawn
lots of criticism and even been compared to the Berlin Wall by
Mexico's newly elected president, Felipe Calderon.
In Colombia, Mr. Bush said he would encourage Congress to continue
funding a program that fights drug trafficking and establishes
order of law in parts of the country where a 40-year armed conflict
has claimed the lives of thousands of people.
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Strengthening
economic ties |
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In addition to spreading his message of compassion, Mr. Bush
has tried to forge new economic ties with the region.
While in Sao Paulo, he signed a pact with Brazilian president
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to promote more production of ethanol
in the Western Hemisphere.
Ethanol, a bio-fuel made usually of corn or sugarcane, is widely
considered a clean alternative to gasoline. Currently, the United
States and Brazil produce 70 percent of the world's supply.
 In
Guatemala, talk was of free trade. Early in his second term, Mr.
Bush signed an agreement that eliminated most tariffs between
the United States and many Central American countries.
Mr. Bush claims that this policy creates jobs both in the United
States and in Central America by opening new markets for businesses.
Critics of the trade agreement say that the policy subjects poorer
countries to exploitation by businesses from richer countries.
While in Guatemala, Mr. Bush visited a lettuce-packing plant
started by a local farmer that now sells its produce to Wal-Mart
Central America and McDonald's, the New York Times reported.
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Drawing fire |
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When he came to office six years ago, Mr. Bush said he would
pay more attention to Latin America.
After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, in the United
States, however, the administration switched its focus to the
Middle East.
"It's a visit after six-plus years of neglect," said
Sidney Weintraub, a longtime U.S. diplomat and specialist in Latin
America, the Washington Post reported. "There's little that
the Latin Americans expect from him anymore."
 In
those six years, the number of Latin American governments critical
of the United States has grown.
One of the Bush administration's biggest critics is Venezuela's
leftist revolutionary president Hugo Chavez, who repeatedly calls
for Latin Americans to reject U.S. "imperialism" in
the region.
Chavez has used his country's huge oil profits to fund social
projects in his own country and abroad. Anticipating Mr. Bush's
visit, Chavez embarked on a tour of Latin America to counter the
U.S. president's statements.
For its part, the Bush administration has tried to downplay Chavez's
influence and highlight its own commitment to social progress
in the region.
At a press conference in Sao Paulo, Mr. Bush refused to mention
the Venezuelan president's name, but said, "I don't think
America gets enough credit for trying to help improve people's
lives."
--Compiled
by Noah Buhayar for NewsHour Extra
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