"US leadership in Latin America" - how's that for an oxymoron? The last time the US took a bold move in Latin America was the inclusion of Mexico in the NAFTA, a Bush administration initiative, completed by Clinton. Since then, the Clinton reign has brought a series of defensive, knee-jerk policies towards Latin America, designed more to put a lid on embarrassing situations than to set new directions.

On the eve of US presidential elections, speculation abounds about how the Presidential and congressional outcomes will affect US-Latin American foreign policy. Gore or Bush; Democrat or Republican Congress; protectionists or free traders? What will be the mix on Capitol Hill and how will it govern its increasing strategic interests in Latin America?