U.S. President George W. Bush on Monday pledged to use his upcoming Latin America tour to fight poverty in the region.

In a speech to a Hispanic group, Bush said Latin America's grinding poverty is a scandal and vowed to spend more money to help the poor there.

His speech came just three days before his first foreign trip of the year which will take him to Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia, Guatemala and Mexico.

In Brazil, his first leg, Bush is expected to hold talks with his President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on increasing biofuel production and the stalled Doha round of world trade talks.

Brazil and the United States contribute some 70 percent of production in world's ethanol market, but the latter has stepped up trade barriers to ethanol imports from Brazil.

Biofuel would also among the topics in Uruguay when Bush meets with President Tabare Vazquez.

Uruguay is seeking to boost trade with the United States, and the two countries signed a trade and investment agreement on Jan. 25.

In Colombia, Washington's main ally in South America, Bush is expected to reiterate Washington's support for Colombia's fight against drug trafficking and anti-government groups.

Immigration will dominate Bush's agenda in Guatemala and Mexico. Both countries want Washington to revise its immigration policy to legalize their citizens in the United States.

The United States has repeatedly describing Mexico as its most important Latin American ally but is building new heavily-watched fences on the U.S.- Mexico border, an action that has aroused strong opposition from Mexico.

Bush's tour is scheduled to begin on Thursday and end on next Wednesday.

Source: Xinhua