Bush: Choose Democracy

President Urges Latin Americans To Reject Leftist Governments

(CBS/AP)  The division on trade among the 34 nations gathered in Argentina for the fourth Summit of the Americas that ended Saturday came after Brazil hedged at setting a firm date for new talks. Silva said Brazil preferred to wait for worldwide trade negotiations to proceed first, a view that was shared by Argentina, Venezuela, Uruguay and Paraguay.

The United States and 28 other countries supported setting a date for new, hemispheric negotiations.

"Predictable as it was, President Bush walked into a political hornets' nest at the summit and walked out with no agreement, mainly as a consequence of Venezuela's president rallying opposition," says CBS News foreign affairs analyst Pamela Falk. "But, Brazil also opposed setting a firm date for trade talks."

Brazil and the other countries want the United States to reduce farm subsidies that they say crowd out other countries' products.

At Mr. Bush's side, Silva repeated his view that resolving those issues through separate negotiations for a global trade deal — known as the Doha round — must come first.

"We agree that the reduction, with a view toward the elimination, of agricultural subsidies will be a key to balance," he said.

Though postponing the hemispheric talks was not how Bush wanted to proceed, he seemed to accept Silva's approach.

"The president said, `Let's work together on Doha and see how that goes and we'll continue working on the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas,"' Bush said after their meeting. "Such an agreement will not be done if the president thinks it's (not) in the interest of the people."

In his speech, Mr. Bush said he agreed with Brazil on agricultural subsidies and that the U.S. is "leading the way" by promising to cut them. He urged others, such as the European Union, to follow suit.

"Only an ambitious reform agenda in agriculture and manufactured goods and services can ensure that the benefits of fair and free trade are enjoyed by all people in all countries," he said.

As Mr. Bush's motorcade passed the entrance to the Granja do Torto presidential retreat where he met with Silva and was treated to Brazilian barbecue, about 150 demonstrators shouted "Fora Bush" — which means "Get out Bush." They burned a small effigy of Bush while chanting "Bush fascist, you are a terrorist."

Elsewhere in Brasilia, about 40 students peacefully occupied a McDonald's, saying they had come to "one of the symbols of capitalism" to protest Mr. Bush's visit.

At Mr. Bush's meeting with a group of young leaders, Carlos Pio, a professor of international relations at the University of Brasilia, asked Bush to respond to the view held by some Latin Americans' that the United States exploits democracies, markets and civil rights.

Congressman Joao Batista de Oliveira Araujo also said Sunday that by inviting Mr. Bush, Silva "showed how subservient he is to the Americans."

Mr. Bush and Silva met as both are dealing with scandals that have involved top aides and driven down the leaders' popularity.

White House adviser I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby was recently indicted on charges of perjury and obstructing justice and top aide Karl Rove is under investigation for his role in revealing the identity of an undercover CIA agent. Top Silva aides have resigned in a kickback scandal.