BY LELAND BAXTER-NEAL AND FRANCES ROBLES
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica --
Vice President Joe Biden came to Latin America this week with a big
smile and an empty hand -- but a better image for the United States.
Biden
visited Chile over the weekend and wrapped up his trip to Latin America
with a stopover in Costa Rica to meet with Central American leaders in
a run-up to the fifth Summit of the Americas conference.
He was the highest ranking U.S. official to visit Costa Rica since Bill Clinton's 1997 trip.
Despite a short visit that was heavy on policy talk and light on
promises, many Costa Ricans appeared pleased to see their country
chosen for the pow-wow, which included only the two stops in Latin
America. Analysts said that Biden's pleasant demeanor and warm message
were a stark contrast to the Bush administration, signaling a new era
for the region.
''Popularly
the image is of a nice-guy gringo, which is the complete opposite of
the cowboy image that existed before,'' said Constantino Urcuyo, a
professor of political science at the University of Costa Rica. ``They
are trying to redefine the relationship with Latin America . . . And
they came to listen, which is something that has been missing in
American policy.''
Urcuyo emphasized the importance of the
friendly image of Biden portrayed in the local media. His visit was
heralded with several front page photos of him surrounded by his
family, waving and grinning to the press after stepping off Air Force
Two.
One tabloid mocked Biden's empty pockets: a news story
compared Biden's visit with that of Chinese President Hu Jintao last
October , when Hu ''gave Santa a run for his money'' by donating police
vehicles and promising to build Costa Rica a new soccer stadium, now
under construction.
René Laurent, who runs a fruit salad stand in
the country's capital, said the trip's importance should not be
measured in dollars. ''It's not as important that he bring money,
because that's not going to solve our problems, but that he comes with
a clear message, and he did,'' Laurent said.
Laurent said Biden came across as an ''honest, family-oriented man'' who presented a more conciliatory message than Bush.