American Allies

Columbia marked a change for Bush as he met with President Alvaro Uribe, a strong conservative ally. Traveling to Bogotá for a short visit due to security concerns, Bush and Uribe had a lot to discuss in a brief time. Columbia receives more US aid than any country outside of the Middle East and Afghanistan, with $700 million annually coming from “Plan Columbia”, a joint effort in the fight against Columbia’s drug traffickers. Importantly, the Presidents discussed trade agreements aimed at growing the economy in the areas of Columbia that are the main producers of cocaine, providing the opportunity for people to enter the legitimate economy.

From Columbia and on to Guatemala, Bush met with President Oscar Berger another of Latin America’s conservative leaders. Guatemala is fighting rampant corruption within its government and police force, which provides an avenue for the large majority of Columbia’s cocaine to pass through on its way to the States.

President Berger understands what must be done above and beyond receiving American financial and military assistance, as he states during a press conference with Bush, “we can have that American Dream in our own countries by promoting education, by improving infrastructure, by implementing CAFTA, which is a very interesting tool to produce and to export and also to attract investment and generate jobs. I believe that we are firm along those lines that the American Dream is going to be the dream for all the Americans living in the American continent.” (Quote from White House transcript)

"The Great Compassion of the American People"

Following President Bush’s visit to Brazil, he continued on to Uruguay where he met with President Tabare Vazquez to discuss trade issues between the two countries. Vazquez is among Latin America’s leftist Presidents, and yet has shown a willingness to work with the US on important trade matters, and, perhaps more importantly, has the strength of character to oppose Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez. The Bush Administration has wisely moved past potential disagreements between the two governments in order to foster a growing trade partnership (in particular, beef and textile products), providing a key foothold into an area of geopolitical import for the United State’s presence in the Western Hemisphere.

During the press conference with the two Presidents, Bush discussed his Administration’s efforts in Latin America: “I would call our diplomacy quiet and effective diplomacy- diplomacy all aimed at helping people, aimed at elevating the human condition, aimed at expressing the great compassion of the American people.” (Quote from White House transcript)

"Protesting" the President

The Mainstream Media in the US has made wide play of the supposed massive protests President Bush has encountered during his trip in Latin America. They trumpet the 6,000 who came out to protest his arrival in Sao Paulo, a city of over 11 million people. Not a word is mentioned of the nature of Brazilian politics, where protests are a common part of everyday politics. During a brief visit last summer I was in the capital, Brasilia, when an unhappy mob descended upon the Federal Government and crashed an SUV into the Capital Lobby. In fact the protests have been smaller than expected by the MSM, who none the less will stick to their story!

President Bush has been accused of "ignoring" our Western neighbors, when in fact this is his eighth trip to the region, more than any other President. His welcome has been mostly positive despite what we are being told in our newspapers and the evening news, especially in his meetings during the first half of his trip with leaders who come from the left.

Bush in Brazil

President Bush began a tour of South America, Central America and Mexico on March 9th in Sao Paulo, Brazil, where he met with Brazilian President Lula da Silva.

While in Sao Paulo, one of the world's largest cities, Presidents Bush and Lula committed to an energy partnership focused on developing further advances in ethanol production. Brazil is among the most advanced ethanol producers in the world, and the United States would do well to lessen its ties to Middle East oil by adopting some of Brazil's energy practices.

I'll have more on President Bush's Americas trip.....

Kick Off

Welcome to my Blog. I'll be posting occasionally while I'm still in Boulder, and then chronicling my time in Brasilia. NFP will report on politics, culture, sports and life. Thanks for visiting!