Bush: Choose Democracy
President Urges Latin Americans To Reject Leftist Governments
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Play CBS Video Video Facing Heat At Home & Abroad In an effort to improve the U.S. image in Latin America, President Bush visited Brazil to help promote democracy. However, his image continues to face a beating back in D.C. John Roberts reports.
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Video Angry Protesters Greet Bush CBS News RAW: On his first trip to Brazil, President Bush visited with President Lula da Silva to improve America's image in Latin America. However, his visit was met by angry protesters.
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Video Bush Leaves Rocky Summit President Bush moved on to Brazil today, as anti-U.S. protests at the America's Summit continued in Argentina. Bush left without a deal on free trade, at least for now. John Roberts reports.
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President Bush gives a speech in Brasilia, Brazil, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2005. He urged Latin Americans to reject efforts to reverse democratic progress while choosing representative governments. (AP)
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President Bush attends the third session of the Summit of the Americas, in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Saturday, Nov. 5, 2005. (AP)
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A demonstrator kicks in a window of a bank during a march protesting the presence of President Bush at the Summit of the Americas in Argentina on Friday Nov. 4. (AP)
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Demonstrators burn a United States flag in Mar del Plata while protesting the visit of President Bush to Argentina, Nov. 4, 2005. (Getty Images/Miquel Rojo)
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Demonstrators yell slogans as President Bush arrives at the Brazilian presidential residency in Brasilia Sunday, Nov. 6. (AP)
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Fast Facts Brazil Learn about the people, economy and history.
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Fast Facts Panama Learn about the people, economy and history.
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Interactive Latin America Tour See what President Bush accomplished at a summit Argentina and in visits this week to Brazil and Panama.
Mr. Bush's speech in Brasilia, the capital city of Latin America's largest nation, did not mention any leaders by name as heading up an anti-democracy charge. But it was clear his remarks were aimed at Venezuela's leftist leader Hugo Chavez and Cuba's Fidel Castro.
"Ensuring social justice for the Americas requires choosing between two competing visions," said Mr. Bush.
One of those choices, he said, "offers a vision of hope. It is founded on representative government, integration into the world community and a faith in the transformative power of freedom in individual lives."
The other, Mr. Bush said, "seeks to roll back the democratic process of the past two decades by playing to fear, pitting neighbor against neighbor and blaming others for their own failures to provide for the people."
Mr. Bush also continued his push for a free-trade zone for the Western Hemisphere, stretching from Alaska to Argentina. The president argues that more trade between the United States, Brazil and other nations in the Western Hemisphere would help create jobs, spread democratic values and lift people out of poverty.
"Our goal is to promote opportunity for people throughout the Americas, whether you live in Minnesota or Brazil. And the best way to do this is by expanding free and fair trade," Mr. Bush said.
He urged Brazil to use its influence to "help make this vision for the Americas a reality."
Brazil's president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, was instrumental in preventing an agreement to restart stalled talks on forming such a trade bloc at a just-ended summit of Latin American leaders.
"He's got to be convinced, just like the people of America must be convinced, that a trade arrangement in our hemisphere is good for jobs, it's good for the quality of life," Mr. Bush said at a joint appearance with Silva after the two leaders met.
©MMV, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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