On the central issue of trade, U.S. President George W. Bush vowed to see through one of his campaign agendas. Those opposed to the FTAA have long argued that such emphasis on free trade comes at the expense of workers' rights and environmental protections. President George W. Bush. The rules applied across the continent should encourage foreign investors who will guarantee the creation of quality jobs, sustainable production and economic stability, while blocking speculative investments. More than 2,500 journalists attended the summit, which was accompanied by violent confrontation.
Tear gas hangs over protesters gathered in Quebec City.
The fence surrounding summit venues hosting the 34 leaders and 4,000 delegates was breached Friday by masked anarchists calling themselves the Black Bloc. That was the precursor to a weekend of sporadic violence throughout the historic city of Quebec that led to 392 arrests. Argentinian President Fernando de la Rua pledged that barricades will not be necessary when Buenos Aires hosts the next summit in 2004 because of the spirit of openness within the western hemisphere. Barlow maintained that violence could have been avoided. Mexican President Vincente Fox.