US secretary of state arrives in Chile
SANTIAGO (AFP) — US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in the Chilean capital Santiago late Friday for a brief visit to see President Michelle Bachelet and Foreign Minister Alejandro Foxley.
Rice, who was arriving from Brazil, told reporters traveling with her that the United States and Chile had "very solid relations" and growing economic ties thanks to a free trade treaty signed several years ago.
She was to discuss bilateral relations and tensions in Latin America left by the crisis last week in which Ecuador and Venezuela sent troops to their borders with Colombia after Bogota ordered an incursion into Ecuador to kill a rebel leader.
Chilean authorities arrested five people early Friday taking part in a leftwing protest against Rice's visit.
