Obama’s 21 hours in Chile

A day after addressing the Brazilian people in Rio de Janeiro, President Barack Obama took to the podium again in Santiago, Chile. This time, his speech was directed toward all Latin Americans. He praised the region’s economic growth and commitment to democracy, while also emphasizing the need to reduce inequality and pull families out of poverty. He also praised Chile for its successful transition from dictatorship to democracy. The president did not, however, apologize for any role the US played in supporting that dictatorship—an apology some activists, and Fidel Castro, had specifically requested. The Chilean newspaper La Tercera reported that Obama did say the history of the relationship between the U.S. and Latin America has at times been difficult. And he asked Chileans to look towards the future and not remain trapped in the past.