Western Hemisphere
The South American Summit on Haiti to be held in Ecuador will mark the return of Colombian President Alvaro Uribe to Ecuador after the crisis during which bilateral ties were broken during 20 months. During the meeting, the Colombian head of State will meet with his counterpart Hugo Chávez, who froze trade ties with Bogota.

The meeting in Quito occurs at a time when the relations between Colombia and Venezuela are reeling through one of its worst times, due to the Venezuelan government position against Colombia's decision to grant the US access to seven military bases. The agreement is aimed at fighting drug trafficking and guerrillas, according to Colombian officials.

Chávez froze ties with Bogotá in July, arguing that the agreement is a threat to his country. The Venezuelan President has urged people to "prepare for war."

The summit "can help ease tensions, but it will not solve problems, especially between Colombia and Venezuela," said Adrián Bonilla, the director of the Latin American School of Social Sciences (Flacso).