URUGUAY: Leaders at Ibero-American Summit set to rebuke USA for its plan to build fence along Mexican border to keep out illegal immigrants

Leaders from Latin America and Europe held the first plennary session of the Ibero-American Summit on Saturday (November 04) with Bolivia's President Evo Morales saying his government's policies regarding gas were not vindictive and Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe appealing to European countries to do more to curtail drug use. "Your Majesty, we are concerned because the biggest increase in consumption of drugs is in Europe and increasingly, the drug, that is unfortunately produced in Colombia, seeks European consumers," Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe said. "We require that Europe strengthens its measures against consumption, to open its borders for Latin Americans but closes its borders to drugs" "We are not vindictive, we do not have the mentality to take revenge on anyone," Bolivia's President Evo Morales said. "Businesses that respect the norms of Bolivia, welcome." Leaders were also expected to rebuke the United States for its plan to build a fence along the Mexican border to keep out illegal immigrants. U.S. President George W. Bush signed legislation last week approving the construction of the 700-mile (1,126-km) fence, an action condemned by Mexico's government. A draft of a final declaration by the leaders of Spain, Portugal and Latin America gathering in Montevideo includes a special statement rejecting the fence plan. "We express our deep concern over the decision adopted by the government of the United States," it reads, adding regional leaders want to "make a firm call for the United States to reconsider" its decision. Several prominent regional heads of state, including Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Peruvian President Alan Garcia were skipping the two-day summit that will focus on immigration. The Bush administration defends the decision as necessary to tighten control of the border to keep criminals and terrorists out. But Mexico argues the fence will do little to ease illegal entries and will likely increase deaths along the border. Every year, thousands of Mexicans risk their lives sneaking across the 2,000-mile (3,200-km) border, much of it desert, in search of work to escape poverty. Illegal Latin American and African immigration to Spain has also risen in recent years.

ITN Source | November 5, 2006

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