11 March 2007Yahoo! NewsLaurent Lozano
US President George W. Bush visited Colombia Sunday in a show of support of the turmoil-torn country he called "a strategic partner," as violent protests continued to rock his goodwill tour of Latin America.
"I appreciate your determination, and I'm proud to call you a personal friend, and to call your country a strategic partner of the United States," Bush told conservative President Alvaro Uribe.
Tight security surrounded Bush's short visit of the South American nation that has received billions of dollars in US aid to battle armed rebels and illegal drugs largely bound for the United States.
Just 1.5 kilometers (one mile) from the presidential palace where Bush held talks with Uribe, clashes left four police and two protesters wounded, after 5,000 demonstrators marched in the capital to protest US policies.
Police said 120 demonstrators were arrested.
Protesters smashed bank and shop windows, and looted and vandalized several businesses.
In Bolivia, Bush's Venezuelan nemesis, President Hugo Chavez, renewed his virulent attacks against the US president during a rival Latin America tour.
Bush has made a point of ignoring the taunts, saying he was conducting "quiet and effective diplomacy."
But the protests that greeted him in Brazil, Uruguay and Colombia reflected widespread anti-US sentiment in the region, where several leftist leaders opposed to his policies have been elected or re-elected in recent years.
Bush's visit of less than seven hours was largely aimed at showing support for the country's battle against insurgents and the illegal drug trade that finances them.
"We are going to work with your government to continue to fight drug trafficking," Bush told Uribe during a joint news conference.
The US president strongly defended a 700-million-dollar a year aid program for Colombia destined to support efforts to combat drug trafficking and a decades-old insurgency.
Congressional Democrats have expressed concern about human rights violations in Colombia and alleged ties between politicians close to Uribe and right-wing paramilitaries.
But Bush said he trusted Uribe's commitment "to bring human rights violators to justice."
He also stressed he would press for congressional approval of a bilateral free trade agreement.
"I told the president that I will work hard for the passage of that important piece of legislation, Bush said.
Meanwhile, Chavez claimed that Bush was offering little more to Latin America than "false promises and manipulations" and suggested the US administration was plotting against him and his Bolivian ally, President Evo Morales.
"I am warning: the US embassies are continuing to launch plans for assassinations and coups in our countries," Chavez said during a visit to a military base near the Bolivian capital La Paz.
On Friday, Chavez addressed a 35,000-strong anti-Bush rally in Buenos Aires, where he described the US president as "political dead meat." He was scheduled to fly on to Nicaragua, where leftist former US foe Daniel Ortega made a comeback after presidential elections last year.
Bush admitted during his trip there were perceptions the United States had turned its back on Latin America, but insisted that was not the case, and stressed his tour meant to demonstrate US goodwill toward the region.
In Brazil and Uruguay, Bush discussed efforts to reach agreement in logjammed global trade talks.
He also netted an agreement from Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for cooperation in the promotion of ethanol, a biofuel whose production is dominated by the United States and Brazil.
Bush left for Guatemala later Sunday. He will also travel to Mexico.
