"I am concerned about a trend toward autocracy that threatens many nations in the hemisphere."
"You have a government there that's conducting an all-out assault on the constitutional order and on the independence of government institutions."
"We are facing, as you all well know, fiscal constraints and a great debate going on in this city about what America should be spending money on, particularly when it comes to foreign aid and foreign p..."
"What happens in the Western Hemisphere is of critical importance to our future."
"Our continued engagement remains essential to strengthen Honduras' democratic institutions."
"Is there an awareness of that, that China poses a real potential strategic challenge for Russia not today but in the next 5 to 10 years?"
"They see that as a place for cooperation with the United States."
"I want to talk briefly about our partnership with Russia in space which is critical now in the aftermath of the shuttle program."
"In El Salvador, we see a country that has made great economic stride but still faces high levels of poverty and violence, often exacerbated by the growing problems of narcotrafficking."
"I think that's critical in terms of--as we move forward in our first objective, which is having democratic institutions that function."
"We intend to continue to do so."