Tear gas, rubber bullets and protesters hurling bricks at police greeted President George Bush as he arrived in Brazil yesterday on the start of his five-nation Latin America tour.

In Sao Paulo, Brazil’s largest city and financial capital, a massive anti-Bush and anti-American demonstration poured down the main avenue. Protesters carried signs reading “Bush out of Iraq” and “Down with the Number One Terrorist George Bush.”

Organisers said the demonstration drew at least 30,000 people although police put the number at 10,000.

The demonstration turned violent after a group of protesters entered a prohibited area along the avenue. They threw rocks and sticks at police, who fired tear gas and rubber bullets.

The clash left 16 police officers and some six protesters injured.

Marchers marking International Women’s Day also chanted anti-Bush slogans.

Trade unionists and leftist movements, including the Workers Party (PT) of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, plan more protests during Mr Bush’s stay.

Hours before the US president landed in Sao Paulo, some 200 members of a far-leftist group hurled rocks at the US consulate. In Colombia, on the second day of anti-Bush demonstrations, hooded protesters threw rocks and firecrackers at riot police using water cannon in a pitched four-hour battle.

“Murderer of Iraqis not welcome in Colombia” said one sign.“Get out, evil emperor Bush,” said another, ahead of the US leader’s arrival on Sunday.

Mr Bush is today scheduled to meet Mr Lula to discuss a trade agreement on the production and use of ethanol, an alternative fuel. The two countries are the world’s biggest ethanol producers.

However, demonstrators are worried that the two leaders have visions of an OPEC-like cartel on ethanol.

Mr Bush, who has been accused by critics of neglecting Latin America, pledged this week to back social justice and prosperity in the region and unveiled new aid schemes for education, housing and health.

But he faces a region that has recently elected or re-elected leftists who oppose his views, including in Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Venezuela, where Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has called Mr Bush everything from a “tyrant” to the “devil."

Mr Chavez, the closest ally of Cuba’s communist leader Fidel Castro, arrived in Argentina last night for a two-day trip that will also take him to Bolivia.

Although he said the timing was a coincidence, he will take part in an anti-Bush protest in Buenos Aires.

When Mr Bush visits Uruguay on Friday, where anti-Bush demonstrations are planned, Mr Chavez will headline an “anti-imperialist rally” in a 40,000-seat Buenos Aires football stadium.

The White House downplayed the protests, saying: “The President enjoys travelling to thriving democracies where freedom of speech and expression is the law of the land.”

“He brings a positive agenda that will demonstrate the benefits of democracy in such areas as economy, health, education, housing for Brazilians as well as all the citizens of the hemisphere,” Johndroe said.

In addition to Brazil, Uruguay and Colombia, Mr Bush will visit Guatemala and Mexico during his trip, which ends on Wednesday.

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