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Bush arrives to Brazilian protest
Police have clashed with thousands of Brazilians protesting at a visit by the US president and his push for an ethanol energy alliance with the Latin American country.
Riot police used tear gas and batons to disperse more than 6,000 protesters holding a largely peaceful march through Sao Paulo's financial heart just before George Bush arrived.
In Porto Alegre, more than 500 people chanted "Get out, imperialist!" as they marched to a Citigroup bank and burned an effigy of the US president.
Brazil has mounted its biggest ever security operation in Sao Paulo with about 4,000 officers on hand during Bush's visit.
Ethanol accords
Bush has spoken approvingly of Brazil's ethanol programme, which powers eight out of every 10 new Brazilian cars.
Discussions between the two countries will aim to build a programme that will turn ethanol into an internationally traded commodity and to promote sugarcane-based ethanol production in Central America and the Caribbean.
Brazil is the world's biggest exporter and consumer of ethanol as an alternative fuel.
It has been enthusiastic about proposals to join forces with the US and create a world wide market for ethanol.
But not everyone is optimistic.
Mariana Schwarz, a 25-year-old publicist said: "We know that Bush and the United States are known for exploiting weaker countries into deals that will only benefit themselves without worrying about the environment."
Suzanne Pereira dos Santos, an activist with Brazil's Landless Workers Movement said: "Bush and the United States go to war to control oil reserves, and now Bush and his pals are trying to control the production of ethanol in Brazil. And that has to be stopped,"
Graffiti reading "Get Out, Bush! Assassin!" appeared on walls near the locations that Bush will drive past as he begins a Latin American tour that also includes stops in Uruguay, Colombia, Guatemala and Mexico.
Over the last six years, while some argue that Bush has ignored Latin America, many of the nations in the region turned to Hugo Chavez, Venezuela's president, for both leadership and money.
Romeo Perez Anton, a political analyst in Uruguay, told Al Jazeera: "The rhetoric, the proposals of Chavez, have finally opened the eyes of the United States, and I think this is the explanation for this diplomatic offensive."
Thomas Shannon, a US assistant secretary of state, said: "The president's trip to the region gives us a great opportunity to say yet again how we are engaged in the region, to underscore our commitment to the region."
'Worst US leader'
Washington has lost its once undisputed economic and political influence in the region and the trip is intended to dispel feelings that the US has been neglecting its regional neighbours.
Bush has been rated the worst US leader in recent memory in Latin America.
After talks with Luiz Inacio Luiz da Silva, the Brazilian president, Bush will head on Friday to Uruguay, where he will meet his counterpart Tabare Vazquez.
Chavez will travel to Buenos Aires to lead protests against Bush on Friday. Bush will not visit Argentina.
In Mexico City, which Bush is scheduled to visit on Tuesday, about two dozen demonstrators gathered in front of the US embassy chanting slogans against the US project to construct border fences and Bush's visit.
Roman Diaz Vazquez, a lawyer and protest leader, said: "Why is he coming here? It makes no sense, it's unreasonable, after all he's done."
Regional clout
Jose Mujica, Uruguay's minister of agriculture and once a Tupamaro guerrilla fighter, told Al Jazeera he hoped Bush's overtures towards Uruguay would give the tiny and often ignored country more clout with its neighbours.
"We depend ferociously on Brazil and Argentina but they don't depend on us. Sometimes they need to be reminded that we exist," he said.
Despite concerns over unity in Latin America, if Bush's plan is to counter the Chavez charm offensive in the region, Washington may have its work cut out.
Lula Da Silva, Brazil's president, has made it clear that his priority is unity between Latin American states, which includes, rather than isolates, Venezuela.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/11AE2827-81A8-444B-8C63-5A2541402A79.htm
In Porto Alegre, more than 500 people chanted "Get out, imperialist!" as they marched to a Citigroup bank and burned an effigy of the US president.
Brazil has mounted its biggest ever security operation in Sao Paulo with about 4,000 officers on hand during Bush's visit.
Ethanol accords
Bush has spoken approvingly of Brazil's ethanol programme, which powers eight out of every 10 new Brazilian cars.
Discussions between the two countries will aim to build a programme that will turn ethanol into an internationally traded commodity and to promote sugarcane-based ethanol production in Central America and the Caribbean.
Brazil is the world's biggest exporter and consumer of ethanol as an alternative fuel.
It has been enthusiastic about proposals to join forces with the US and create a world wide market for ethanol.
But not everyone is optimistic.
Mariana Schwarz, a 25-year-old publicist said: "We know that Bush and the United States are known for exploiting weaker countries into deals that will only benefit themselves without worrying about the environment."
Suzanne Pereira dos Santos, an activist with Brazil's Landless Workers Movement said: "Bush and the United States go to war to control oil reserves, and now Bush and his pals are trying to control the production of ethanol in Brazil. And that has to be stopped,"
Graffiti reading "Get Out, Bush! Assassin!" appeared on walls near the locations that Bush will drive past as he begins a Latin American tour that also includes stops in Uruguay, Colombia, Guatemala and Mexico.
Over the last six years, while some argue that Bush has ignored Latin America, many of the nations in the region turned to Hugo Chavez, Venezuela's president, for both leadership and money.
Romeo Perez Anton, a political analyst in Uruguay, told Al Jazeera: "The rhetoric, the proposals of Chavez, have finally opened the eyes of the United States, and I think this is the explanation for this diplomatic offensive."
Thomas Shannon, a US assistant secretary of state, said: "The president's trip to the region gives us a great opportunity to say yet again how we are engaged in the region, to underscore our commitment to the region."
'Worst US leader'
Washington has lost its once undisputed economic and political influence in the region and the trip is intended to dispel feelings that the US has been neglecting its regional neighbours.
Bush has been rated the worst US leader in recent memory in Latin America.
After talks with Luiz Inacio Luiz da Silva, the Brazilian president, Bush will head on Friday to Uruguay, where he will meet his counterpart Tabare Vazquez.
Chavez will travel to Buenos Aires to lead protests against Bush on Friday. Bush will not visit Argentina.
In Mexico City, which Bush is scheduled to visit on Tuesday, about two dozen demonstrators gathered in front of the US embassy chanting slogans against the US project to construct border fences and Bush's visit.
Roman Diaz Vazquez, a lawyer and protest leader, said: "Why is he coming here? It makes no sense, it's unreasonable, after all he's done."
Regional clout
Jose Mujica, Uruguay's minister of agriculture and once a Tupamaro guerrilla fighter, told Al Jazeera he hoped Bush's overtures towards Uruguay would give the tiny and often ignored country more clout with its neighbours.
"We depend ferociously on Brazil and Argentina but they don't depend on us. Sometimes they need to be reminded that we exist," he said.
Despite concerns over unity in Latin America, if Bush's plan is to counter the Chavez charm offensive in the region, Washington may have its work cut out.
Lula Da Silva, Brazil's president, has made it clear that his priority is unity between Latin American states, which includes, rather than isolates, Venezuela.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/11AE2827-81A8-444B-8C63-5A2541402A79.htm
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At least 20 people were hurt in clashes between demonstrators and riot police.
The US president is due to meet Brazil's Luis Inacio Lula da Silva to sign an ethanol energy alliance.
He will also visit Uruguay, Colombia, Guatemala and Mexico in a week-long tour aimed at strengthening US ties with its Latin American neighbours.
Potato bombs
In Sao Paulo, some 10,000 people spilled out along one of the city's broadest avenues, in the heart of the financial district, banging drums, waving red flags and carrying banners reading "Bush Go Home".
Although largely peaceful, clashes flared between some of the protesters and police.
Demonstrators threw rocks, fireworks and homemade "potato bombs" - made from gunpowder wrapped in foil - at some of the 4,000 police patrolling the streets during Mr Bush's visit.
Riot police responded by firing tear gas and lashing out with their batons.
At least 20 people, 16 of whom are reportedly policemen, were injured in the clashes.
Bitter sweet
Many of the demonstrators are angry at the war in Iraq and the proposed ethanol deal, which they say is an attempt to control the country's production of the bio-fuel which powers eight out of 10 new cars in Brazil.
Together with Colombia, Brazil produces about 70% of the world's ethanol, a bio-fuel made from sugar cane or corn.
The proposed accord would make ethanol an internationally traded commodity and promote its production in Central America and the Caribbean.
But activists claim that sugar cane cultivation is water intensive and responsible for stripping the Amazon rainforest.
They also say that the ethanol production process is concentrated in the hands of a few powerful families or corporations.
As Mr Bush left Washington to begin his tour, hundreds of protesters occupied the Cevasa sugar and ethanol-processing plant in Sao Paulo state that was recently sold to a US company.
Chavez rally
Correspondents say Washington is adjusting to the election of increasing numbers of left-wing administrations in Latin America, including some that are openly critical of the US.
Timed to coincide with Mr Bush's visit to Uruguay, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will make an appearance on Friday in Argentina.
Mr Chavez is expected to hurl insults at Mr Bush at a rally in a football stadium in Buenos Aires.
The BBC's Daniel Schweimler, in Buenos Aires, says Mr Chavez will find an enthusiastic reception to his fiery brand of anti-US rhetoric.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6430951.stm