Mr Bush faces opposition over plans to revive talks on a free trade area.

[Henk Elegeert]

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  Riots mar Americas summit opening

Hundred of protesters have run riot in Argentina, throwing rocks at
police just blocks away from the opening of a summit attended by 34
Americas leaders.

Groups of demonstrators approached security cordons around the summit,
and a bank was set on fire as police fired tear gas to disperse the rioters.

US President George W Bush is one of the leaders present, for
discussions which include free trade and poverty.

Mr Bush faces opposition over plans to revive talks on a free trade area.

As the meeting opened, there was no indication that any compromise had
been reached.

Venezuela's leader Hugo Chavez told protesters earlier he would bury the
Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) - and defeat US "imperialism".

Poverty

More than 8,000 police have been drafted in to protect the fourth
Americas summit, being held in the Argentine beach town of Mar del Plata.

[	Only united can we defeat imperialism and bring our people a better
life.  Hugo Chavez  ]

Protests began peacefully, with thousands of demonstrators chanted "Get
out Bush".

They marched through boarded-up streets a few kilometres away from the
summit venue itself.

Demonstrators included Argentine former football legend Diego Maradona.

But smaller groups armed with wooden clubs and wearing bandanas began
burning US flags, throwing stones and petrol bombs, breaking windows and
setting fire to shops.

Police used tear gas to disperse them, and slowing pushing them away
from the summit area down one of the town's main streets.

Local media reports said 20 demonstrators had been injured in clashes
with police.

'Defeat imperialism'

Protesters argue that US-backed free-market policies have pushed
millions into poverty in the region.

Addressing their rally in a football stadium, Mr Chavez said: "Here, in
Mar del Plata, FTAA will be buried!"

He called for help, saying: "Only united can we defeat imperialism and
bring our people a better life."

Other demonstrations were held in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires,
and in Uruguay and Venezuela.

The Venezuelan government has said that it will reject any summit
declaration which contains references to free trade in the Americas.

However, Mexico's President Vicente Fox has said 29 of the 34 summit
nations are willing to move forward with free trade negotiations without
dissenting countries.

Apart from Venezuela, those nations opposed to the creation of a huge
free trade zone include Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay.

US interest renewed

The rivalry between Mr Bush and Mr Chavez is expected to dominate the
meeting.

Asked at a news conference how he would approach Mr Chavez, Mr Bush
replied that he would be "polite".

The BBC's South America correspondent Steve Kingstone says the Mr
Chavez' growing influence helps explain Washington's renewed involvement
in the region.

Security, democracy and trade are the main areas of interest for the US
in Latin America, and on all three counts, Venezuela's leader is causing
concern, our correspondent says.

Washington is concerned about military build-up in Venezuela, suspects
it of meddling in Bolivia's election campaign and fears Mr Chavez' talk
of closer ties between Latin American nations may attract leaders away
from US plans for a huge free trade zone, he adds.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/americas/4408804.stm

Published: 2005/11/04 22:14:13 GMT

© BBC MMV
"

Het tijdperk Bush lijkt op waarde geschat (gestaag) aan z'n eind te
komen ....

Henk Elegeert

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