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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Bush seeks to bolster Mexico ties | Bush seeks to bolster Mexico ties |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| US President George W Bush has arrived in Mexico on the final leg of his seven-day tour of Latin America. | US President George W Bush has arrived in Mexico on the final leg of his seven-day tour of Latin America. |
| Mr Bush is expected to discuss sensitive issues such as immigration, border control and drug trafficking with Mexico's leader Felipe Calderon. | Mr Bush is expected to discuss sensitive issues such as immigration, border control and drug trafficking with Mexico's leader Felipe Calderon. |
| There have been demonstrations at each stage of the President Bush's visit and attacks on him by Venezuela's leader. | There have been demonstrations at each stage of the President Bush's visit and attacks on him by Venezuela's leader. |
| Hugo Chavez has used a parallel tour to speak out against what he calls the interference of the "American empire". | Hugo Chavez has used a parallel tour to speak out against what he calls the interference of the "American empire". |
| The Venezuelan president flew to the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, on Monday, where he was greeted by tens of thousands of people. | The Venezuelan president flew to the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, on Monday, where he was greeted by tens of thousands of people. |
| His arrival followed a brief visit to Jamaica. | His arrival followed a brief visit to Jamaica. |
| Mr Chavez began his tour in Argentina last week, where he was the main speaker at a huge anti-Bush rally, and has also visited Bolivia and Nicaragua. | Mr Chavez began his tour in Argentina last week, where he was the main speaker at a huge anti-Bush rally, and has also visited Bolivia and Nicaragua. |
| 'Waning influence' | 'Waning influence' |
| President Bush arrived late on Monday in the colonial town of Merida in the south-east state of Yucatan, where he will hold talks with one of his closest regional allies, President Felipe Calderon. | |
| Drug trafficking is expected to be high on the agenda. Tackling the country's drug cartels has been Mr Calderon's priority since he won a close election at the end of last year. | Drug trafficking is expected to be high on the agenda. Tackling the country's drug cartels has been Mr Calderon's priority since he won a close election at the end of last year. |
| Through federal troop deployments, the Mexican government has tried to clamp down in regions where the drug gangs rule with near impunity. | Through federal troop deployments, the Mexican government has tried to clamp down in regions where the drug gangs rule with near impunity. |
| However, correspondents say there will be difficult topics between the two men. | However, correspondents say there will be difficult topics between the two men. |
| The US is planning to construct hundreds of kilometres of fencing along the border to try to prevent the flow of illegal immigration from Mexico - something Mr Calderon has strongly criticised. | |
| The BBC's Duncan Kennedy in Merida says it is unlikely they will find common ground to resolve the issue, other than a renewed commitment by Mr Bush to seek support for his guest worker programme. | The BBC's Duncan Kennedy in Merida says it is unlikely they will find common ground to resolve the issue, other than a renewed commitment by Mr Bush to seek support for his guest worker programme. |
| The issues of immigration and drug trafficking also dominated talks in Guatemala earlier on Monday between President Bush and his counterpart Oscar Berger. | The issues of immigration and drug trafficking also dominated talks in Guatemala earlier on Monday between President Bush and his counterpart Oscar Berger. |
| Mr Bush said he hoped to push reforms through Congress soon to allow more immigrants to work legally in the US. | Mr Bush said he hoped to push reforms through Congress soon to allow more immigrants to work legally in the US. |
| President Bush ends his five-nation tour on Wednesday. |