Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has been conducting his own tour of the region to counter Bush’s trip. On Friday, Chavez addressed tens of thousands in Argentina. On Sunday, he met with Bolivian President Evo Morales and Ricardo Alarcon, the president of the Cuban National Assembly.

Hugo Chavez: “Mr. President of the United States, what is the fundamental cause of this poverty and of this misery? This is what you represent, precisely, the basic cause, is the empire which is the main guilty party. Neoliberal capitalism is the principal cause of the misery, of the exploitation of the people. That’s the main cause of the misery. You are the cause, mister. Get out of here. Gringo, go home!”