South American countries seek unity to help Haiti

By Hugh Bronstein

QUITO (Reuters) - South American leaders deeply divided by political differences may take a break from their usual recriminations on Tuesday when they meet to discuss the continent's response to the crisis in quake-shattered Haiti.

Previous meetings of the UNASUR group of countries have been marked by insults between its left- and right-leaning members.

This time investors will watch to see if leaders can unite behind the cause of Haiti, soften their political rhetoric and set the stage for better trade as South America tries to pull out of the economic doldrums of 2009.

Conservative Colombian President Alvaro Uribe will attend in his first visit to Ecuador since a 2008 diplomatic break after he ordered the bombing of a rebel camp on Ecuador's side of the border.

The raid prompted the leftist governments of Ecuador and Venezuela to temporarily increase troops on their frontiers with Colombia, which has received billions of dollars in U.S. aid aimed at fighting cocaine-funded Marxist guerrillas.

President Hugo Chavez will also be at the meeting. He has clamped down on Venezuela's $7 billion (4.48 billion pounds) per year trade with Colombia over Uribe's close military ties with Washington.

The breakdown in bilateral commerce has slowed Colombia's recovery and added to Venezuela's already high inflation.

Chavez has called Uribe a "lackey of the Yankee empire", Ecuadorean leader Rafael Correa has called him a liar while Uribe has accused both of not doing enough to help combat Colombian rebels seeking refuge in neighbouring countries.