Discord looms at Americas summit

MEXICO CITY — The Summit of the Americas meeting, which will host 34 heads of state from the Western Hemisphere, including President Bush, Monday and Tuesday in the northern Mexico city of Monterrey, officially has three themes on its agenda: financial growth, social development and democracy.

But regional quarrels, opposition to new U.S. anti-terrorism measures, opposition to the American trade embargo on Cuba and Brazilian-led opposition to implementing a Free Trade Area of the Americas are likely to dominate much of the discussion between the United States and its neighbors in Latin America and the Caribbean.

For Bush and Mexican President Vicente Fox, the summit will be a chance to mend ties, which have been strained since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks stalled talks on changes in U.S. immigration policy that Mexico wants. Bush will come armed with a new immigration program that would make it easier for Latin Americans to work in the United States.

Fox made it clear in comments Friday that he means to ask for more when he meets Monday with Bush. But he said he didn't think disagreements would derail the meeting. "I've spoken frequently with Bush, and the important thing about this summit is to unite the continent, not disunite it," Fox said.

Bush's meetings with the leaders of Argentina and Brazil, South American powerhouses, will be more contentious.

Both are hostile to Washington's political and economic agenda and have expressed sympathy toward Cuban President Fidel Castro and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, both of whom are on the outs with the Bush administration.

Castro, as an undemocratic leader, wasn't invited. Chavez, who was democratically elected but whose policies have been criticized in Washington, has said he'll attend.

The summit will be the third such gathering since the first one in Miami in 1994. The last was in Quebec City in April 2001, and the next wasn't scheduled until 2005. Canada requested an interim summit because of the impact of terrorist attacks on the hemisphere.

The Mexican government has doubled security, with thousands of police officers and other agents patrolling Monterrey, where thousands of protesters are expected.

In Washington on Friday, national security adviser Condoleezza Rice said Bush would stress Latin America's democratic transition from military dictatorships.