Latin Leaders Set to Condemn U.S. Border Fence
NewsMax.com Wires
Saturday, Nov. 4, 2006

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay -- Leaders at this weekend's Ibero-American Summit were set to rebuke the United States for its plan to build a fence along the Mexican border to keep out illegal immigrants, an official said Friday.


President Bush signed legislation last month approving the construction of the 700-mile fence in a move condemned by Mexico.


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.

"It didn't take long to draft it and there was consensus," the official said, requesting anonymity because the document awaits final approval.


Costa Rican President Oscar Arias called the fence "shameful" and said the money spent on it "would be better invested if it was used by the poor neighbors of the south to educate our kids."

The Bush administration defends the decision as necessary to tighten control of the border to keep criminals and terrorists out. 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 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.


(c) Reuters 2006. All rights reserved.

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