Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called poverty the greatest threat facing Latin America as he and the leaders of Spain, Colombia and Brazil, agreed to work together to fight hunger, prevent terrorism and promote peace.
Their one-day summit was marked by smiles and jokes as the leaders seemed to have little trouble finding common ground on issues from Colombia's civil war to economic integration. Former Argentina soccer star Diego Maradona made a brief visit to express his support for their efforts.
"Poverty is the biggest threat here," said Chavez, flanked by Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe as they concluded their talks.
"We will be happy the day that all people can eat three times a day," said Chavez, who has vowed to do away with poverty in Venezuela.
As they ended their talks, the leaders issued a declaration pledging to cooperate against terrorism, arms trafficking and poverty. Chavez said the leaders supported the idea of creating an Ibero-American fund against hunger, and would bring it up with other nations. "Every country would put in what it could," Chavez said.
Uribe said poverty had contributed to Colombia's 40-year-old civil war, and he appealed for international help in trying to make peace. He spoke of the thousands killed and kidnapped each year, and hundreds wounded by landmines laid out by leftist rebels.
"We won't resolve a problem of that dimension without the help of our neighbors," Uribe said.
The other leaders said they were willing to help in any way possible. Maradona greeted Zapatero and Silva during his brief appearance, and embraced Chavez. "He's my revolutionary friend," Chavez told reporters later, calling the Argentine "the best soccer player of all time."
The talks were held at a retreat near Puerto Ordaz, an eastern town supported by iron and aluminum mining. The only noticeable mishap came at the airport. Officials said two soldiers were injured when a cannon went off prematurely during the welcoming ceremony as one soldier was packing it with gunpowder.
Chavez opened the talks by rejecting US suggestions that his government posed a regional threat. He dismissed US criticism of Venezuela's plans to buy helicopters and 100,000 Kalashnikov rifles from Russia.
"We want peace," Chavez said, adding that he hoped for a relationship of "respect" with the US.
"I said here, and it's the opinion of the presidents, that it's necessary to find the path toward more normal relations between the United States and Venezuela," Chavez told reporters. He said the US government should stop "its interference and respect our sovereignty."
Zapatero and Chavez were expected to announce a deal yesterday for Spain to sell Venezuela eight coastal patrol boats and 10 transport planes, a Spanish official said on condition of anonymity.
Chavez said the patrol boats will be helpful "for the fight against drug trafficking."
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