Only three months into Condoleezza Rice's tenure as US secretary of state, the fact that she has already made a four-nation, six-day swing through Latin America is hugely welcome to those who fear President George W. Bush has forgotten his pledge to pay close attention to the region.

When the hemisphere's presidents, including Bill Clinton, held the first Summit of the Americas more than a decade ago optimism was widespread that a warmer relationship had been established. But since then relations between the US and its neighbours have been marked by increasing division. "There has been a parting of the ways," says Peter Hakim, president of the Inter-American dialogue, a Washington-based policy forum.