March 8 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush heads to Latin America today to rally support among leaders who may not like Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez much more than he does.

Bush's five-country tour takes him to a region feeling the tug of promised aid from and trade with the U.S. on the one hand, and the lure of the socialist Chavez's oil-fueled, anti-American populism on the other.

Bush took office with a promise to pay special attention to Latin America -- a goal that fell victim to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the invasion of Iraq, which diverted U.S. attention.

``There is a widespread perception that the United States has shown little interest in past years'' in Latin America, said Peter DeShazo, director of the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. ``The U.S. image has deteriorated overall.''

At least in some countries and among some leaders, Chavez's image is no better. A poll conducted by Latinobarometro, a Santiago-based public opinion research company, in 18 countries and published Dec. 9 by the Economist magazine found 30 percent of those surveyed had a ``positive'' image of Bush, while 28 percent viewed Chavez positively.

Over the last year, Chavez, 52, has called Peruvian President Alan Garcia a ``thief'' and former Mexican President Vicente Fox a ``puppy of the empire.'' Mexico's current president, Felipe Calderon, warns that Chavez's actions to extend government control over industries risks revival of a failed past.

`Negation of Democracy'

When Costa Rican President Oscar Arias called Chavez's policies a ``negation of democracy,'' the Venezuelan president accused him of simply looking for an invitation to visit Bush's ranch.

Bush's itinerary shows the administration's strategy to counter Chavez. His first stop is Brazil, Latin America's largest economy, where he plans to promote a partnership to develop ethanol as an alternative fuel. He then travels to Uruguay, Colombia, Guatemala and Mexico, where emphasis will be on trade, energy, immigration and social programs to alleviate poverty.

Bush, 60, is spending one of the longest segments of his trip, two nights, in Uruguay, a country of 3.4 million people, about a third of whom live in poverty.

`Right Choices'

The stay highlights Bush's message that ``if governments will make the right choices, they will have a partner in the United States,'' White House National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley said earlier this week.

Uruguay's Socialist President Tabare Vazquez since his election in 2004 has been ``fighting corruption, providing good government, investing in his people's health and education,'' and is ``encouraging free trade and free markets,'' Hadley said.

Bush acknowledged that the U.S. approach to building prosperity takes time and that lag can create tension.

``There are great expectations when trade agreements are signed, that all of a sudden there's going to be instant prosperity,'' Bush said in a March 6 interview with reporters from Latin American news organizations at the White House. ``If you're poor, it's hard to be patient.''

The day before, in remarks on Western Hemisphere policy in Washington, Bush took a populist tone, using the phrase ``social justice'' five times in decrying government corruption and the failure of some leaders to meet the basic needs of citizens.

`Softer, Gentler Side'

The U.S. wants to ``portray a softer, gentler side to the Bush administration,'' said Armand Peschard-Sverdrup, director of the Mexico project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Bush is bringing with him a modest package of assistance, including $75 million to help young Latin Americans improve their English and study in the U.S., $350 million to help families get mortgages and the deployment of a Navy medical ship to provide care to about 85,000 people.

He points out that yearly aid to the region has almost doubled to $1.6 billion since he took office. By comparison, the U.S. is spending about $10 billion a month in Iraq.

Chavez is using his country's position as the third- largest producer within the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to spread his influence. He's lent $2.5 billion to Argentina and offered $1.5 billion to Bolivia and $500 million to Ecuador.

Hadley said the president's trip isn't part of an anti- Chavez campaign. While the region hasn't gotten the attention it deserves, he said, Bush ``has been involved and committed to Latin America throughout his presidency.''

Chavez is refusing to be left out of the picture. He plans a rally March 9 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, while Bush is on other side of the Rio de la Plata in Uruguay.

On his radio program, Alo Presidente, Chavez joked with Bolivian President Evo Morales: ``Hey Evo, did you hear them saying that I'm planning on sabotaging Bush's visit?''

``Chavez, obviously, will do everything in his power to turn this trip into a Bush-Chavez standoff,'' said Peschard-Sverdrup. ``If that were to happen, it defeats the purpose of this trip,'' which is about U.S. public diplomacy.

To contact the reporters on this story: Cathy Dodge in Washington at Cdodge1@bloomberg.net; Roger Runningen in Washington at rrunningen@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: March 8, 2007 00:05 EST