Bush Dining Through Latin America

MERIDA, Mexico — Is anyone feeding the president?

At every stop on his seven-day, five-country Latin American trip, including here on Tuesday, President Bush has been fixated on food.

It began with Bush's first event in his first country, when he and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva celebrated a new ethanol alliance.

"I appreciate the fact that you're about to buy me lunch," Bush told Silva. "I'm kind of hungry. Looking forward to eating some of that good Brazilian food."

In Uruguay, at a news conference with President Tabare Vazquez, Bush said he couldn't wait to dig into some Uruguayan beef _ something the tiny nation wants to sell more of to the United States.

"You've told me all along how good it is, and after we answer a few questions, we're about to find out," Bush told his host, later praising the country's abundant blueberries, too.

In Colombia, part of Bush's agenda included time with locals growing crops as alternatives to the illegal coca from which cocaine is made. The vendors' stalls were filled with honey, chocolate and coffee.

Next came Guatemala, where Bush hauled some lettuce onto a truck _ something he later called "one of the great experiences of my presidency."

"I'm looking forward to the dinner that you're hosting for Laura and me," Bush told Guatemalan President Oscar Berger in another news conference. "I'm not going to talk too long because I might get too hungry."

Later, Bush's stomach was either really growling _ or it was a ruse to end the questioning. He signaled an end to the joint appearance by asking Berger what was on tap for dinner.

"We have tortillas with guacamole and beans," Berger assured him.

In Mexico on Tuesday, Bush was down to business with President Felipe Calderon. Among the items on the agenda: a working lunch, scheduled for earlier in the day than locals usually dine.

Bush, speaking Spanish to Mexican reporters as he started touring the Uxmal ruins, said his lunch was good. "I'm full," he declared.

They wanted to know more _ did he have any tequila?

Oh no, Bush said with a laugh. He reminded them that he doesn't drink.

__

Gerardo Fernandez flew to Merida to deliver gifts to Bush and Calderon. But he wasn't exactly welcome.

The spokesman for Mexico's leftist Democratic Revolution Party brought a bag of toy soldiers for Bush so that the U.S. leader "can play war and leave the world alone." For Calderon, he brought a door mat so the Mexican president "can kneel without hurting his knees."

He tried to deliver the soldiers to Bush's hotel on Monday evening, just before Bush arrived, but wasn't allowed past security. So he climbed the rusty, 10-foot-high metal barrier and tossed the plastic toys over, to the puzzled looks of security guards on the other side.

On Tuesday, he was still carrying the door mat, leading a one-man quest to the hacienda where Bush and Calderon were meeting. He soon hit another security barrier there.

_____

Bush's hotel in Mexico, the Hyatt, seems like it's crawling with tourists.

At least, they look like tourists, dressed in New York Yankees ball caps and shorts, or straw hats and guayaberas in the Yucatan sun.

But the curly wires to their ears gave them away.

Bush's security detail and Calderon's secret service were going casual Tuesday, patrolling the city's luxury hotel zone in typical vacation garb.

But there was one other thing that separated them from real tourists: access. Many of the city's real vacationers had to spend their time negotiating their way in and out of their hotels.

__

Associated Press writer Deb Riechmann contributed to this report.