WASHINGTON, USA (Reuters): Communist rule of Cuba should end when ailing leader Fidel Castro dies, US President George W. Bush said as he prepared for a Latin American tour seen as aiming to counter a regional shift to the left.
Bush's trip, starting in Brazil on Thursday, is widely viewed as offering a counterpoint to the populist appeal of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, whose nationalization plans he criticized.
"I strongly believe that government-run industry is inefficient and will lead to more poverty," Bush told newspaper reporters on Tuesday in remarks released on Wednesday.
"If the state tries to run the economy, it will enhance poverty and reduce opportunity."
Bush also made clear he is keeping an eye on Cuba and its long-time leader.
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It's also important to remember that George W. Bush has met/and will continue to meet widespread protests from many sectors of Latin America.
Yesterday in Colombia
http://www.ndtv.com/morenews/showmorestory.asp?id=101845
Today in Brazil
http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/8004/54/
And more to come I'm sure. Anyway, as Bush said today: "I’m accustomed to traveling and running into demonstrations all over the world."
http://www.mercopress.com/vernoticia.do?id=10017&formato=HTML
But, of course those people are irrelevant, right? Or, are they saying something important?
Posted by: Mambi Watch | March 08, 2007 at 11:50 PM
President Bush has no leg to stand on the question of being an emissary of democracy to the world.
And this trip to Latin America will be a wake up call to him on how much he has failed both our country and all of Latin America in his diplomacy and foreign policy.
The next President will have to spend time rebuilding our relationship with the people of Latin America.
Posted by: usambcuba | March 09, 2007 at 01:40 AM
Mr Bush-it has one way out. Open debate with cuba and the lifting of the embargo..Like Nixon for opening China,George needs something that the people will remember him for...Landing Air Force One on Cuban soil...
Posted by: victor | March 09, 2007 at 01:36 PM
George Bush meets with "widespread protests" from the usual suspects: the Marxist cadres who want to lay waste to their countries just as Castro did to Cuba. These people are "irrelevant" and are saying nothing important.
Posted by: Manuel A. Tellechea | March 11, 2007 at 01:38 PM
bush meets with protest in his own home. give me a break...
Posted by: victor | March 12, 2007 at 07:29 AM
If one actually reads the news, you'll notice that many of the protesters in Latin America are denouncing US aggression towards Iraq, and other possible aggressions.
It's he same calls that are being voiced in the US by many sectors of the population, not just Marxists.
Posted by: Mambi Watch | March 12, 2007 at 01:56 PM