MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Bush promises new relations. Brazil summit.

Bush promises new relations.

Republican presidential candidate George Bush promised if elected that he will promote a more intense political and economic relation with Latinamerica since its future can't be separated from that of the United States. Speaking in the Florida International University in Miami Bush insisted that Latinamerica will not be a last minute issue, but a "fundamental commitment of my presidency". Blaming the Clinton administration for having forgotten the region, unable to obtain the "fast track" legislation from Congress, Bush said he will sign a free trade agreement with all Latinamerican nations and will help strengthen democratic governments. Bush reminded the audience that US trade with China is similar to that with Brazil, that there are also (as in Kosovo) many refugees in Colombia and that most US oil is supplied by Venezuela. The Republican candidate said that when the next Americas summit is held next April in Quebec, all Latinamerican countries will be expecting the new US president to present himself with the fast track legislation, to seriously negotiate a free trade agreement. After stressing the "special relations" with Mexico and congratulating the Mexican people for their recent democratic election, Bush underlined that Argentina and Brazil are Mercosur's main members and Brazil the number one economy in the region and "we must reflect that in our relations". Describing the United States as one of the main Spanish speaking nations in the world Bush said that the "US can't blame other countries for the drug problem", since "we have a market that feeds it".

Bribes scandal

Most Buenos Aires residents believe that bribes were paid out in the Argentine Senate so a controversial labour reform bill rejected by the unions, and demanded by international creditors, could finally be passed in Congress. According to a public opinion poll published by La Nación, 81% of "porteños" are convinced that corruption was involved, while 54% believe that is spite the case is now under a judicial inquiry and all Senators will be questioned, it will be "very difficult" to prove that bribes were involved. Another 21% consider it difficult and 19,7%