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Clinton: 'New world' dawning in Americas
CARACAS, Venezuela (CNN) -- U.S. President Bill Clinton arrived in Venezuela on Sunday, declaring that a "new world" was dawning in the Americas based on the values of democracy and economic growth.
"When the first explorers came to the Americas centuries ago, there was no distinction in their minds between North and South America. It was simply the New World. Now we have an opportunity to bring the Americas together again," Clinton said.
"We can see a new world in the making -- that is our chance and our responsibility. Let us seize it together," he said.
Clinton, making his first stop in a weeklong trip through South America, was accompanied by his wife, first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. He was given a 21-gun salute after being greeted by Venezuelan President Rafael Caldera at La Carlota Air Base.
"We know that we are linked with you as a solid friendship," the Venezuelan leader said. After the public ceremony, Clinton and Caldera met for private talks.
Clinton's trip is designed as a diplomatic mission to discuss free market policies and plans for a hemisphere-wide free trade zone by the next decade. He will also travel to Brazil and Argentina.
The president had hoped that by the time he left Washington, the Senate or House would have voted to expand trade in the region -- giving his trip an added boost. But the issue has yet to reach the floor of either house.
However, the U.S. ambassador to Venezuela, John Maisto, emphasized that the lack of a congressional vote did not undermine the president's trip.
Factoid: With the world's largest proven oil reserves outside the Middle East, Venezuela last year surpassed Saudi Arabia as the United States' largest supplier.
Details on Clinton's stops:
Venezuela
Brazil
ArgentinaMaisto called Clinton's visit a historic trip that could set the stage for establishing a Free Trade Area of the Americas by the year 2005, a massive endeavor to further globalize the region's economies.
"These are building blocks in order to create something revolutionary in a democratic hemisphere, with the exception of one country," he said, referring to communist Cuba.
The president also is expected to use the trip to try to strengthen democratic institutions in a region that suffered decades of military dictatorships, coups and death squads.
Venezuela is the seventh-biggest investor in the United States, largely due to its oil industry, and last year Venezuela's exports of about $13 billion were four times the value of U.S. goods imported.
Clinton and Caldera, who at 81 is South America's oldest president, on Monday are to sign a number of minor cooperation agreements. The pacts will center on the oil industry, the fight against drug trafficking and money laundering and the protections of the environment, Maisto said.
From Venezuela, Clinton will travel to Brazil late Monday where he will spend three days before moving on to Argentina.
A quick look at the countries Clinton will visit:
Venezuela:
Brazil:
Clinton will acknowledge that Venezuela's role as a reliable oil provider has important ramifications for U.S. security and prosperity.
Clinton will spend less than 24 hours in Caracas, exchanging toasts with President Rafael Caldera and placing a wreath at the tomb of independence hero Simon Bolivar. Caldera was elected in 1993 on the heels of two failed military coups a year earlier.
Once a holdout to economic reforms sweeping Latin America, Venezuela has embraced free-market policies under Caldera. Clinton and Caldera were to have signed a treaty protecting investments and intellectual property rights, but officials say it won't be ready in time.
Argentina:
The largest country in Latin America, Brazil has tamed once-rampant inflation, and its economy is experiencing its fifth consecutive year of growth.
But there is a growing undercurrent of social unrest among the so-called dispossessed -- landless peasants, the homeless, retirees and civil servants. Politicians, the clergy and some business people have accused the government of ignoring social issues such as education, health, transportation and housing.
Mindful of the social inequity, Clinton will speak to 1,600 business leaders in Brasilia to stress the importance of open markets. He then flies to Rio de Janeiro to speak at a shantytown about educational opportunities.
Clinton's visit won't be the top news in Argentina this month, says Argentina's ambassador to the United States, Diego Ramiro Guelar. The real story will be the midterm elections two weeks later when President Carlos Menem's Peronist party could well lose its congressional majority.
While praising Menem's leadership, Clinton also is to meet with top officials of the opposition alliance to demonstrate support for the democratic process and neutrality in the elections.
On another sensitive point, the president will meet with Jewish leaders and relatives of victims of terrorist bombings at the Israeli Embassy in 1992 and the Jewish Community Center in 1994. The two attacks killed 115 people.
In recognition of its international peacekeeping, Clinton will proclaim Argentina a non-NATO military ally, giving it priority access to American-made weapons, ammunition and spare parts.
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