Secretary Clinton's Latin American Tour

Updated March 4, 2010 - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton tours Latin America this week for a journey that takes her through the Southern Cone, Brazil, and Central America. Though hers is a trip through the Americas, it involves Middle East policy. “I’m on my way to Latin America next week. And Iran is at the top of my agenda,” said Clinton in February 24 testimony at a Senate Appropriation Committee, hinting at concern over Brazil’s deepening ties with Iran. But that was before an 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck Chile, one of the stops on the secretary’s trip. Her trip runs from February 28 through March 5, with travels to Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Guatemala.

Clinton headed to Chile as it faces a catastrophe that claimed over 700 lives, damaged vital infrastructure, and could spell economic losses as high as $15 billion. During the secretary’s first stop in Uruguay, where she attended the inauguration of José Mujica, she said the plane she travels in will also bring telecommunications equipment to Chile to aid relief efforts. “[O]ne of the reasons they have asked me to continue my trip is to assess whatever else they might need, and immediately to begin the process of providing it,” said the secretary at a press conference. Her stop—and the natural disaster—comes as Chilean President Michelle Bachelet prepares to leave office; Sebastian Piñera’s inauguration is slated for March 11.

The earthquake led to a change in Clinton’s itinerary. She added a stop in Argentina, which is currently embroiled in a dispute with the United Kingdom over oil drilling off the Falklands. Although Washington had remained mute on the subject prior to Clinton’s trip, the secretary commented that in Uruguay “this is a matter to be resolved between the United Kingdom and Argentina,” adding that “[i]f we can be of any help in facilitating such an effort, we stand ready to do so.”

But the most contentious issue of her trip may have been Brazil’s warming ties with Iran. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva hosted his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in November and plans to travel to Tehran in May. Clinton hoped to win over Brazil, which presently holds the a UN Security Council seat, in supporting tougher sanctions on Iran in an effort to stem that country’s nuclear program. William Burns, the U.S. envoy charged with drumming up support for sanctions, laid the groundwork by traveling to Brasilia last week. But, as Clinton arrived on March 3, Brazil signaled that he would not succumb to pressure on the matter, saying: “It is not wise to push Iran into a corner. It is wise to establish negotiations.” During an interview/town hall after meeting with Brazilian officials, Clinton stated that both Brasilia and Washington had a shared goal of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. "[W]e both believe that negotiations, diplomacy are always better than another approach, but sometimes you have to put more pressure on in order to get a sincere negotiation," said Clinton.

The secretary will round out her trip with stops in Costa Rica and Guatemala. In both cases she will meet with their presidents, leaders from neighboring Central American countries, and the Dominican president to discuss regional integration and security concerns.

Learn more:

• “Clinton’s Travels to Latin America,” COA Vice President Eric Farnsworth, The Huffington Post, February 27.
• AS/COA Online resource guide to the earthquake.
• U.S. State Department page on Secretary Clinton’s travel to Latin America from February 28 through March 5, including an interactive travel map, and information about how to text Secretary Clinton.
• Pre-trip briefing by U.S. Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs Arturo Valenzuela.
• U.S. State Department information about the earthquake in Chile.