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Americas summit protest turns violent

Bush, Chavez keep their distance at photo session, dinner

Saturday, November 5, 2005; Posted: 11:51 a.m. EST (16:51 GMT)

MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina (CNN) -- Protesters set a building on fire and threw objects at police in the streets of this resort city as the leaders of 34 nations met at the fourth Summit of the Americas.

The summit wraps up Saturday afternoon after two additional working sessions, with trade, jobs and combating poverty on the agenda.

President Bush then flies to Brasilia, Brazil, where he will meet with President Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva before heading to his final stop Sunday and Monday in Panama. (Watch a video analysis of Bush's agenda -- 2:40)

Friday's protests were not visible from the summit site, about a mile away.

Small bands of demonstrators threw Molotov cocktails, set bonfires in the streets with items looted from stores, burned U.S. flags and set a bank ablaze. (Watch as protesters set a building on fire -- 1:25)

Argentine police responded with tear gas to disperse the demonstrators, who did not breach the security cordon set up around the hotel where the summit was taking place.

Local media reported at least 20 injuries, but that number has not been independently confirmed.

Eerie calm follows violence

The demonstrators retreated after about an hour, and two hours later there was an eerie calm on the streets before sundown Friday. As night fell, the unrest appeared to be largely over.

Sporadic vandalism also broke out Friday in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, about 250 miles from the summit site. A BankBoston branch and a Burger King restaurant were among the targets, and police made several arrests.

The violent protests were not limited to Argentina. Associated Press photographers took images showing police battling demonstrators in Uruguay.

Such demonstrations have become common at gatherings of world leaders, especially those with Bush in attendance -- a fact the U.S. president acknowledged when meeting with Argentine President Nestor Kirchner.

"It's not easy to host all these countries, particularly not easy to host, perhaps, me," Bush said. "But thank you for doing it."

Chavez leads protest

Early Friday, thousands of protesters welcomed a train bringing a group of fellow demonstrators from Buenos Aires -- including Bolivian presidential hopeful Evo Morales.

Chanting "Fascist Bush! You are the terrorist!" the protesters massed along the sides of the train, trying to shake hands with those inside, according to the AP. (Full story)

After marching through the streets, thousands of protesters headed to Mundialista Stadium, where Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez led a rally against Bush's policies.

"Peoples of the Americas are rising once again, saying no to imperialism, saying no to fascism, saying no to intervention -- and saying no to death," Chavez yelled to the cheering crowd.

Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona also participated in the protest, wearing a T-shirt accusing Bush of war crimes.

Chavez, a left-leaning populist, routinely denounces Bush as "Mr. Danger" and refers to the United States as "the Empire." U.S. officials consider him to be a source of instability in the hemisphere.

Bush vows to be 'polite'

During the summit's traditional group photo session, Bush stood well away from Chavez. The two leaders reportedly didn't encounter each other at a formal state dinner Friday night.

Bush said earlier at a news conference that he would be "polite" if the two leaders met. He also said he viewed his participation in the summit as an "opportunity to positively affirm our belief in democracy and human rights and human dignity."

Bush said he was gratified by his meetings with leaders of several Central American countries, which he described as "young democracies" eager to implement a free trade agreement.

Bush's first meeting Friday was with leaders of nations that joined the Central American Free Trade Agreement. CAFTA was narrowly approved by Congress in July after an intense push by the White House. (Full story)

Economics on the agenda

Bush wants to create a free trade zone throughout the Americas, from Canada to Argentina. He has argued that all nations involved will benefit economically.

But leaders of several nations reject the notion, saying the United States would take advantage of smaller nations. Chavez is one of the most prominent critics.

The International Monetary Fund is one of the top economic issues on Argentina's agenda. Argentina is seeking a new IMF loan agreement such as the one that helped the country out of a major economic crisis in 2002. Argentine leaders have complained that they're not getting the kind of deal they need now.

"The president was quite firm in his belief that the IMF ought to have a different attitude toward Argentina," Bush said after his meeting with Kirchner.

He did not express support for Argentina's position, instead sticking by previous assertions that he would leave that between Argentina and the IMF.

Bush said Kirchner has made "wise decisions" that helped Argentina's economy change "in quite dramatic fashions." He added that the Argentine leader's economic track record makes it possible for him to "take his case to the IMF with a much stronger hand."

CNN's Dana Bash, Alec Mirian, Lucia Newman and Elaine Quijano contributed to this report.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/americas/11/05/bush.summit/