MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Latinamerica hits the US election race

Democrat presidential candidate John Kerry attacked President George Bush for only remembering the US Hispanic vote, (eight million), and Latinamerica when on the campaign trail for his re-election.

"Latinos have easily discovered this is an election year because finally Bush is addressing them", said Mr. Kerry following the joint release of the US-Mexican summit between presidents George Bush and Vicente Fox.

"Mr. Bush lost all creditability when he did not honour his promise in 2001 of reforming immigration policy. But now he's presented a proposal. And after two years of tense relations with Mexico, this weekend he finally invited Mexican president Vicente Fox to his ranch in Crawford", said Senator Kerry during a campaign rally in Texas.

Mr. Kerry recalled that since President Bush took office three years ago "there are more Hispanic families living in poverty and the number of unemployed has increased 16%; the gap between non Hispanic whites and Latinos home owners has increased 7%, and Latinos have then the right to ask why Mr. Bush only remembers them every four years".

The Massachusetts Senator said that Latinos and Latinamerica under his presidency will not be a "second issue", but rather promised an "authentic migratory reform" and making Latinamerica a "central component" of US foreign policy.

He also criticized Mr. Bush' letting down and recent removal of "the constitutionally elected president of Haiti", whom did many things wrong but had the right of any democratic regime to request for help.

However, "Mr. Bush let him be removed and this is a terrible, the worst possible message for the region", highlighted the Democrat presidential candidate.