Spanish leaders, Hugo Chavez exchange insults during summit

King Juan Carlos I of Spain told Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to “shut up” during Saturday’s closing session of the Ibero-American summit in Santiago, Chile. The king’s remarks came as Chavez tried to interrupt current Spanish P.M. Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero who insisted that Chavez show more diplomacy and respect for other leaders despite ideological differences.

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Yesterday Chavez expressed his displeasure at the King’s outburst though he hoped that it would not hurt relations between Venezuela and Spain. Meanwhile, Spanish opposition head Mariano Rajoy blamed the spat on Rodriguez Zapatero’s foreign policy.

Other developments occurred during the three-day heads of state summit included:

• Improved diplomatic relations between Peru and Chile.
• Colombian President Alvaro Uribe criticizing Hillary Clinton for her opposition to a U.S.-Colombia free trade pact.Senator
• The continuation of disagreements between Uruguay and Argentina over the controversial Botnia paper mill.
• Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva remarks that the European Union could serve as "a source of inspiration" for Latin American unity.
• Spain pledging $1.4 billion in aid to Latin America.

Sources (English)- Bloomberg, Reuters UK, YouTube, BBC News, International Herald Tribune, Xinhua, Prensa Latina

Sources (Spanish)- El Diario/La Prensa