Political differences were prominent at a summit of European and Latin American leaders in Peru, posing a threat to their joint efforts to combat poverty and global warming. Bolivian President Evo Morales clashed with his regional counterparts on free trade issues leading up to the meeting, while Venezuela's Hugo Chavez escalated tensions in a dispute with Colombia. Supporters of free trade, such as Peru, are becoming frustrated with skeptics like Morales, who accused Peru and Colombia of attempting to exclude Bolivia from talks between the EU and Andean countries. Peruvian President Alan Garcia urged for progress despite differing opinions, emphasizing the need to move forward. Morales, a former coca grower, expressed concerns that free trade agreements could negatively impact peasant farmers in Bolivia. "We are seeking trade, but trade that is fair," he informed journalists in Lima. The EU is currently in talks with Mercosur, which is led by Brazil and Argentina, as well as Central American nations. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was among the first leaders to arrive at the summit, mentioned that the EU is prepared to facilitate trade. Merkel did not address the recent conflict with Chavez, who accused her of being a political heir to Adolf Hitler for suggesting he had harmed relations between Europe and Latin America. Chavez often insults conservative leaders, particularly U.S. President George W. Bush. At a summit in Chile last year, Spain's king told him to be quiet. Chavez is currently involved in a dispute with Colombia that has led to concerns about potential warfare in the Andean region since March. Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has accused him of supporting the leftist FARC guerrillas, and shortly before leaving for Lima, Chavez mentioned that he was reevaluating diplomatic relations with Bogota. These conflicts could be the main focus of the fifth meeting of leaders from Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. They may also face challenges in finding agreement on strategies to combat cocaine trafficking, as well as the utilization of food crops for producing renewable biofuels as an alternative to fossil fuels. Many poor countries accuse Brazil of advocating for greener fuels, which they believe are driving up food prices. Despite this, these nations are becoming more concerned about climate change and are urging wealthy countries to reduce carbon emissions. Peru recently established an environment ministry to address the effects of global warming on its Andean glaciers. Peruvian representatives at the summit will advocate for stronger actions to tackle climate change, criticizing governments that only pay lip service to the issue. We are encouraging those governments to take concrete action," stated British junior Foreign Office minister Kim Howells in an interview with Reuters.