George Bush Tours Latin America

In an effort to improve ties with the region, Bush is visiting Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico. He can expect to be greeted by lots of "Bush Go Home" signs.

Sometimes it's better to stay at home. Latin America's biggest bogeyman since Francisco Pizarro and Hernán Cortés, George Bush is touring the region to improve relations and to improve his own less-than-stellar image.

Things did not get off to a roaring start yesterday, as Bush was greeted by 10,000 hootin'-and-a-hollerin' protesters on the streets of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The malcontents banged drums, waved provocative red flags, and carried banners sporting the classic, tried-and-tested slogan of "Bush Go Home."

Early reports did not say whether George Bush's feelings were officially hurt.

Rocks and sticks were thrown at police, some of whom, unlike Mr Bush, definitely were hurt and had to be carried off to safety. While the wounded police officers made their getaway, their copper brethren covered for them with several rounds of tear gas and a healthy dose of Mr. Baton.

Meanwhile, Bush's old nemesis and own personal ideological bogeyman, President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, lurks next door in Argentina with something special in store for Mr. Bush. Chavez is to address a rally at a football stadium in Buenos Aires and is highly unlikely to have any sweet words to say about him. If he holds true to form, Chavez is expected to fervently denounce the Texas oil gringo from the north.

Why doesn't he do so from his own country? Bush has conveniently and unsurprisingly left Venezuela off his list of countries to tour -- along with other countries he enjoys, or rather does not enjoy, a high degree of unpopularity in, such as Cuba and Argentina and Peru and....