NYTimes -- A Beleaguered Hemisphere

Latin America, a global bright spot in the early 1990's when democratization and economic liberalization took hold with great promise, has fallen on hard times. Free-market economic prescriptions pushed by Washington have been discredited. Leftist and populist alternatives are gaining support, as evidenced by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's election last month to the Brazilian presidency

Trade remains a source of friction. The administration, while standing up for its interests in opening South American markets, must be more understanding of legitimate Brazilian grievances concerning American protectionism when it comes to steel and agricultural products. Otherwise, American free-trade rhetoric will be seen as self-interested hypocrisy and the promise of a hemispheric free trade area will not be attained.

Elsewhere, the administration must strongly champion the rule of law. This means taking Colombia's president, Álvaro Uribe, to task when his government goes too far in curbing civil liberties as it escalates its war against guerrillas financed by the drug trade. It also means insisting that Venezuela's opposition groups refrain from taking unlawful or violent paths in confronting President Chávez.

Sorry, Latin America will remain an administration back burner and self-interest, hypocrisy, curbing civil liberties, and unlawful acts characterize the Bush administration.