Rioting in the streets of Mar del Plata and ongoing disputes among leaders over free trade and the Free Trade Area of the Americas, FTAA, marked the first of the two days IV Summit of the Americas.

The anti Bush and anti FTAA riots followed a meeting in the Mar del Plata stadium where an estimated 40,000 people gathered to hear Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez blast "imperialism" and "Washington's hegemony" next to other renowned world figures as former football star Diego Maradona.

But in the Hermitage Hotel a clear continental split was evident with Mercosur members and Venezuela rejecting the idea of re-launching the stalled US promoted FTAA negotiations, and an estimated 30 other countries led by Mexico fully supporting the proposal.

Mexican president Vicente Fox went further and called on Argentina as the host country, demanding an extraordinary effort to reach an agreement on the Summit's final declaration regarding FTAA.

"The host country must make an extraordinary effort so we can reach an agreement and Argentina must conduct the debate in a manner that is productive", underlined Mr. Fox, adding that if Mercosur (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) insist in not advancing towards a FTAA, then the rest of the countries must do so.

"We are almost thirty countries that agree on this line and three or four who disagree. He who feels it will benefit him jump in, and those who don't stay out. Whoever blocks an agreement such as FTAA certainly is looking through the eyes of its own interests and not the interests of the others."

Mr. Fox emphasized that "trade and investment are the way out for the region's economies; we must build an appropriate FTAA and tailored for the poorer members, for the less developed countries."

In the Mar del Plata stadium Venezuelan presidents called on his fellow leaders to "keep away from Mr. Bush because he's bad luck", and Maradona referred to the US President as a "murderer" and "human trash".

This article appeared originally in Mercopress – www.mercopress.com.

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Atencao! Latin America! Fox is the enemy
written by Guest, November 05, 2005

Mexican President Vicente Fox, for one, has already publicly rebuked Chavez, suggesting that the 21st century is perhaps about to leave Venezuela behind.

fOX IS NOT EVEN REALLY A lATINO. He is half Bush Latino, and imposter of Latin America. An American Bush Puppet act on American Imperial Interests.

Fox is imposter, a spy and enemy of Latin America. He should be expelled from the Mexican Government right away!

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Latin America do not sell out to America
written by Guest, November 05, 2005

FOX is Latin America's 2nd biggest enemy out side of the Bush Administration. He is a true "jump in the sack" with American Imperialists!

Watch out for the Fox in the Bush.............
Latin America needs a revolution. Keep the damn Yanquis out of Latin America for they starve the people and put us in deeper debt.

Latin America do not sell out to American Imperialism.

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curious....
written by Guest, November 05, 2005

...the Mexican president clearly and simply said :

"We are almost thirty countries that agree on this line and three or four who disagree. He who feels it will benefit him jump in, and those who don't, stay out."

Why is anyone against what he said ????

Nobody is obliged to join...but no one should be forbidden to join if he choses so !!!!!!

Why should the majority agree with the minority or why should the minority agree with the majority ??????

Democracy....is so simple !!!!!!

But Brazil, Argentina and Venezuela are anti democratic, anti freedom, anti free trade, anti free thinkings, anti social inclusion, anti good governance, pro crimes, pro insecurity, pro bureaucracy, pro inflation, pro non education, pro proverty and pro hunger, pro borrowing, pro no debt repayments, pro bankruptcies, pro mismangement etc etc !!!!!!
AND truly, masters in corruption at all levels !!!!!!!!!

And tell Maradona that he was great in his good old days. But now he is only a coke junkie....!!!!!!

The facts and sad reality are that many developing nations did far better in 10 or 15 years than you did in 50 years !!!!!!

So you should analyze why others do much much better than you do !!!!!!!

You are what we call the BRIC new powers (Brazil, Russia, India, China).
The facts and numbers demonstrate that all of the other 3 had a far far higher economic growth rate than Brazil !!!!!!!

Dont you think it is finally time to wonder why....and to make your own analysis and self critisim of your continued failures, mismangements and below norm growth rate ??????
Curiously enough none of the 3 others criticize the USA as harshly as you do !!!!!
And this despite their even deeper differences in political and economical views...with the USA !!!!!

Ohhh by the way...I am European....not American !!!!!!

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imposter of Latin America ???????
written by Guest, November 05, 2005

if out of almost 30 Latino countries, 25/26 are pro FTAA...and 3 or 4 are against...who are the imposters ??????
The majority...or the minority ?????????

Please explain clearly what you mean !!!!!

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...
written by Guest, November 05, 2005

Its the few who are ruining it for the many.

Maradona and Chavez should live in Cuba, where I came from.

Idiotas, Burros!!

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