Politics
13:43, 14-Aug-2017
US vice president's Latin America tour starts in Colombia
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US Vice President Mike Pence has met with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and his cabinet at the Presidential House in Cartagena.
Pence started the tour of four Latin American nations on Sunday. Colombia was the first stop on the trip that will also include stops in Argentina, Chile and Panama.
According to the White House, the vice president's goal is to strengthen bilateral trade and investment ties in the region.
The week-long trip is likely to be dominated by conversations about the deepening crisis in Venezuela, where the US accuses President Nicolas Maduro of a power grab that has sparked deadly protests and condemnation across the region.
Some say the four-country visit is a way for the White House to show its focus on issues beyond Asia and its own borders. The question is whether Latin America will be receptive.