Negroponte touring Latin America
Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte departed Monday on a five-day, four-country mission to Latin America, where he is expected to push for free trade agreements with Panama, Colombia and Peru, and seek to improve ties with leaders in other nations.
Negroponte arrived in Bogot', Colombia Monday, will visit Ecuador to meet new President Rafael Correa on Wednesday, then move on to Peru and Panama.
A State Department release said he would be discussing trade and energy issues on all his stops.