Insults by Chávez and Uribe Highlight Group of Rio Summit in Mexico

Honduras was not invited to participate in the Group of Rio Summit being hosted this week by the government of Mexico at the resort town of Playa del Carmen just south of Cancún. The meeting, which was formally opened by Mexican President Felipe Calderón formally on Monday, is being attended by 31 presidents from Latin American and the Caribbean. Issues on the agenda include how to provide shelter for the more than 1 million Haitians left homeless after the earthquake in January, Argentina's sovereignty claims over the Falkland Islands, and the political crisis in Honduras. The exclusion of Honduras was attributed to its current suspension from the Organization of American States (OAS), according to Mexican Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa.

The highlight of the opening day of the summit was a heated exchange of insults over lunch by Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and Colombian President Álvaro Uribe. In a confrontation about Venezuela's commercial boycott of Colombian products, Mr. Uribe reportedly told Mr. Chávez to "be a man and stay to argue face to face". Mr. Chávez responded by telling Mr. Uribe to "go to Hell". (2/23/10) (photo of Hugo Chávez and Álvaro Uribe courtesy Internet)