[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 43, Number 10 (Monday, March 12, 2007)]
[Pages 284-286]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Interview With Juan Carlos Lopez of CNN En Espanol

March 7, 2007

President's Upcoming Visit to Central and South America

    Mr. Lopez. Thank you for speaking with us. And my first question is 
about your trip. You're going to Latin America, the longest trip an 
American President has taken to the region. Why now? Why at this moment 
when Democrats control the Congress and there are issues that might be 
in their hands?
    The President. Well, thank you for asking that question. This is not 
my first trip since I've been the President. I have been in--traveling 
the neighborhood, I think, maybe three other times. But this is a long 
trip, and the reason why is, I want to remind people throughout our 
neighborhood that America cares about them. And I bring a message of 
hope, a message that says, we care about the human condition and a 
message of accomplishment.
    I don't know if you know this or not, but since I've been the 
President, our bilateral aid to Latin America has increased from 800 
million to 1.6 billion. And the reason I say that is, the American 
taxpayer has been very generous about providing aid in our neighborhood, 
and most of that aid is social justice money--in other words, it's money 
for education and health.
    And yet we don't get much credit for it. And I want the taxpayers, I 
want the American people to get credit for their generosity in Central 
and South America.

Jenna Bush

    Mr. Lopez. Your daughter Jenna is writing a book about her 
experiences in Central America. She will be focusing on a single mother 
with HIV. Has she been part of your eyes and ears in the region now that 
she's been there for quite a while?
    The President. Well, she is--first of all, I'm very proud of her. 
She is an accomplished woman. She came back--I haven't seen a lot of her 
because she's been spending a lot of time in Central America as a UNICEF 
volunteer--but she came back and talked to me about this young girl that 
she has befriended. And she's deeply concerned about alienationists in 
our world, and is going to try to raise some money to help the education 
programs there.
    To me, her book and her example is what America is all about. We've 
got compassionate people, and when we find suffering and see income 
disparity or see poverty, we'd like to help people lift themselves up.

Trade

    Mr. Lopez. You've talked about the importance of free trade. 
Opponents of free trade in Latin America say it's one-sided and favors 
the U.S. Opponents of free trade in the U.S.----
    The President. That's right.
    Mr. Lopez. ----say it's one-sided and favors those countries. So 
who's right, and what are you trying to do with this right now?
    The President. They're both wrong. The opponents of free trade are 
wrong, in my judgment, because free trade--a good free trade agreement--
and those agreements are signed by administrations and ratified by their 
elected assemblies--fair trade agreements are beneficial to both, and 
that's what we want.
    All you've got to do is look at the trade between the United States 
and Mexico after the free trade agreement we signed between Mexico, the 
United States, and Canada. And the amount of trade has gone up 
appreciably, significantly.
    And I truly believe that one of the most effective ways to eliminate 
poverty is through free and fair trade. But there's no question, there's 
protectionist sentiments in the neighborhood and in our own Congress. 
And I--we got the CAFTA vote by one vote in the House of 
Representatives, and I'm going to have to work hard to get more free 
trade agreements through. But the fact that it's hard won't deter me 
from doing what I think is right.
    Mr. Lopez. They say you're exporting American jobs.
    The President. Well, that's what Americans say. I look at it 
differently. I think what we're doing is, we are creating opportunities 
for business people, small-business people, to be able to sell products 
in other markets, whether it be U.S. products into Central America or 
South America and vice versa.

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    I also know that trade enhances the wealth of all people. I mean, it 
is in our interests that Mexico generate wealth so that people can make 
a living. If you're a person deeply concerned about immigration--and as 
you know, this is a hot issue here in the United States--doesn't it make 
sense to encourage trade so that people can find a job at home rather 
than feel compelled to try to find work elsewhere?
    And trade is--you can track the success of a trade agreement--and I 
repeat again, the success of the trade agreement with Mexico.

Alternative Fuel Sources/Brazil

    Mr. Lopez. Brazil, you're going. Ethanol seems to be at the top of 
the agenda. How important is this ethanol? Some analysts say that you 
will bring Brazil closer to the U.S., you will develop ethanol plants in 
Central America and have ethanol for U.S. consumption.
    The President. First of all, the alternative fuel issue is a huge 
issue for the United States. I mean, we're too dependent on oil. It's in 
our national security interests and our economic security interests and 
for environmental concerns to develop alternatives to gasoline. Ethanol 
is the--is what we're investing a lot in here in the United States to do 
that. Brazil has been very successful, so it gives us common ground to 
talk.
    I like the idea of helping Central America, by the way, develop an 
ethanol industry. I think it would be good for their national security 
and economic security interests. But my discussion with Brazil is more 
than just ethanol. Brazil is a very important country in South America. 
We will be talking about the Doha round of global trade. I'll be talking 
with my friend President Lula about international matters. Brazil is an 
international player, and the United States looks forward to working 
with Brazil to promote peace.

President's Upcoming Visit to Central and South America

    Mr. Lopez. Are you--is free trade--is this trip a way to show what 
the U.S. is doing and counter what other leaders might be doing? For 
example, Hugo Chavez, who called you the devil and says many things, 
said he will be in Argentina on Friday.
    The President. The trip really is to remind people that we care. I 
do worry about the fact that some say, ``Well, the United States hasn't 
paid enough attention to us,'' or, ``The United States really isn't 
anything more than worried about terrorism.'' And when, in fact, the 
record has been a strong record.
    And I will be going to promote--to look at programs that are--have 
benefited from the generosity of the American people. And so it's--I 
say, our country is a compassionate country. And there's significant 
connections between people inside America and people outside America. 
And it's in our interest that we promote those ties, and we promote--and 
I remind people about the generosity of our country.
    It's not a given, by the way, that people will continue to spend--
that the Congress will spend money. And therefore, it's important for me 
to show that we're not only spending money but the effects of spending 
money, the positive things that are happening as we help elevate 
people's lives.

Verdict in the Trial of I. Lewis Libby

    Mr. Lopez. Mr. President, I want to ask you about the conviction of 
Lewis ``Scooter'' Libby. Your critics are saying that his conviction 
makes the promise that you made to bring honor and dignity back to the 
White House, that this promise will go unmet.
    The President. Yes, first of all, this was a lengthy trial on a 
serious matter, and a jury of his peers convicted him. And we've got to 
respect that conviction.
    Secondly, this is an ongoing legal matter. In other words, there's 
more legal procedures to take place, and at this time, it's 
inappropriate for me or the administration to be issuing comments about 
this serious matter.
    On a personal note, I was sad. I was sad for a man who had worked in 
my administration, and particularly sad for his family.

Situation at Walter Reed Army Medical Center

    Mr. Lopez. As Commander in Chief, what do you say to the veterans 
who have gone through a very hard time at Walter Reed and

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other hospitals? There are commissions, there are solutions that are 
being proposed. But, what do you, as Commander in Chief, say to those 
veterans in----
    The President. I say, anything other than excellent care is 
unacceptable. And I've been to Walter Reed a lot. There's some fantastic 
doctors and nurses and healers. And yet we found that there was some 
substandard care in part of that organization, and we're going to 
correct it.
    And I put the Commission together--a series of commissions, to make 
sure that there--that we fully understand the truth, fully elevate the 
problems, so we can solve them.
    I had Bob Dole and Donna Shalala in today. They're Chairmen of this 
very important Commission I put together that will analyze the care our 
soldiers get from the battlefield into the Defense Department, then into 
the Veterans, and then into community. And I want to make sure there 
is--that is a seamless transition of excellent care.
    Mr. Lopez. Muchas gracias, Senor Presidente.
    The President. Por nada.

Note: The interview was taped at 12:06 p.m. in the Map Room at the White 
House for later broadcast. In his remarks, the President referred to 
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil; I. Lewis Libby, former 
Chief of Staff to the Vice President; and Bob Dole and Donna E. Shalala, 
Cochairs, President's Commission on Care for America's Returning Wounded 
Warriors. Mr. Lopez referred to President Hugo Chavez Frias of 
Venezuela. A portion of this interview could not be verified because the 
tape was incomplete.