Thread: Bush Discusses Trade, Immigration with Uruguayan President

Bush Discusses Trade, Immigration with Uruguayan President

VOA
Marzo 10, 2007, 13:36 EST

President Bush has discussed trade issues and immigration with Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez on the second leg of Mr. Bush's five-nation Latin American tour.



The two leaders met Saturday in the town of Colonia. Afterward, when they spoke to reporters, Mr. Vazquez said he reminded Mr. Bush of the thousands of Uruguayan citizens living in the United States in pursuit of a better life.



Mr. Bush said he wants the U.S. Congress to approve an immigration reform bill as soon as possible. Mr. Bush added that the United States can neither grant automatic citizenship to illegal immigrants, nor can it just expel them from the country.



Mr. Bush said they also discussed trade issues. Mr. Vazquez has been pressing for Uruguayan merchants to have better access to U.S. markets to sell goods such as beef and textiles. Mr. Bush said he told the Uruguayan president he will seriously consider Uruguay's requests. He said the United States just wants to make sure there is also market access for its own products.



From Uruguay, President Bush heads to Colombia, then Guatemala and Mexico, all countries with which the United States enjoys friendly relations.



The White House calls his trip a goodwill tour meant to underscore the U.S. commitment to social justice in the Western Hemisphere. But critics say he is trying to counter the growing influence of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who led an anti-Bush rally Friday in Buenos Aires, Argentina - a neighbor and rival of Uruguay.



Demonstrations also took place in Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay itself. Protesters took to the streets of the capital, Montevideo, Friday, chanting anti-U.S. slogans and burning effigies of the U.S. president.



Earlier Friday, Mr. Bush met with Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, after their foreign ministers signed an accord to expand production of sugar cane-based ethanol fuel in Central America and the Caribbean.

http://www.redbolivia.com/noticias/News ... 44489.html

Mr. Bush added that the United States can neither grant automatic citizenship to illegal immigrants, nor can it just expel them from the country.

So why can't we expel them from the country?

jecg's

So why can't we expel them from the country?

Well, I think because he is worried that these leaders will break away their "friendship" with him, because they will not get the remittances sent back to their countries.

Then I guess the concern is that these leaders might align themselves more with Chavez and others who are not allies with us.

I really don't know if I'm right or not, but it seems to me that this could be at least be somewhat a part of the answer.

similar article

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... ic&t=56914

I trust Chavez a lot more than I do bUsH . And I don't trust chavez at all .

I do not trust George Bush as far as I could throw him but we would not even be here talking about our opposition to his agendas if he was Hugo Chavez.

It's just something to think about sometimes. Nonetheless, we are all entitled to our own opinions.

Mr. Bush said he wants the U.S. Congress to approve an immigration reform bill as soon as possible. Mr. Bush added that the United States can neither grant automatic citizenship to illegal immigrants, nor can it just expel them from the country.

I'm sure the folks of Uruguay appreciated your words of encouragement, Bush. Look out my American friends, incoming illegal Uraguayans on the way.

I wish President Bush would stop opening his mouth in every third world country on the continent regarding our illegal immigration problem, and I especially wish he'd stop giving assurances that we're not going to expel the criminal aliens that are lucky enough to make it through our open borders. If I didn't know better, I'd think he was giving out invitations (oops, I don't know better ).

Amen, MW.

INVITATIONS!