Obama sees positive signs from Cuba, Venezuela

post from Obama Blog on 19 April 2009 12:05:00 PM. © Obama Blog

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President Barack Obama said he saw positive signs from Cuba and Venezuela during his trip to the Summit of the Americas.

Hugo Chavez shook hands with Obama and gave him a book, on exploitation of Latin America, as a gift. Chavez also approached Secretary of State Hillary Clinton saying that the would restore diplomatic relations with the U.S. after withdrawing his country's ambassador during the Bush administration.

Obama said he hoped the conference in Trinidad and Tobago would lead to further improvement in relations with Cuba and like-minded nations in the hemisphere. The president dismissed Republican claims that Obama's friendly encounters with Chavez somehow made the United States less safe.