Santiago — Chilean riot police used water cannons and tear gas yesterday to break up a demonstration by hundreds of rock-throwing protesters before more than 20,000 people marched to vent their anger at Pacific Rim leaders, particularly U.S. President George W. Bush. While some protesters said they oppose the APEC summit, which they likened to a rich man’s club that does nothing for the poor, much of the rage was aimed at Bush and the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

At the summit, Bush will seek more international support to persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program, administration officials said.

Organizers said 40,000 protesters participated in the government-approved march downtown, far from the conference centre hosting the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum. Police put the number at 25,000.

Marchers held up posters saying: “Bush, you stink,” and “Terrorist Bush.” Some chanted: “Bush, listen: Chile is not for sale!” and “Bush, fascist, thief, murderer!”

Earlier street clashes marked the fourth straight day of confrontations between police and activists opposed to the APEC summit. There were no arrests or serious injuries.

Prime Minister Paul Martin arrived in Santiago earlier yesterday — a day after firing anti-Bush Liberal MP Carolyn Parrish — only to be met by more anti-Bush sentiment.

Protesters in the Chilean capital waved placards that read “Bush Killer!” and Martin’s limo had to be rerouted several times on the way to his hotel to avoid the throngs.

Martin is scheduled to meet today with Bush to discuss a range of issues. He intends to use the summit to bring up the tragic civil strife in Haiti, Sudan and Ivory Coast while pressing his case for reform.

Numerous bilateral meetings between leaders were planned during the summit, including a key meeting tomorrow between the leaders of Japan and China that will seek to resolve a diplomatic row over a Chinese nuclear submarine’s recent intrusion into Japanese waters.

Bush plans seven individual meetings with other leaders during the weekend, including those from China, Japan, South Korea and Russia — the U.S. partners in talks with North Korea aimed at making the Korean peninsula nuclear-free.

Three rounds of talks have yielded little progress and North Korea refused to attend a fourth round slated for September. The White House hopes to use to the APEC gathering to map strategy for scheduling another meeting early next year, a senior White House official said.

Bush plans to meet tomorrow with Mexican President Vicente Fox, with immigration and cross-border drug trafficking likely high on the agenda.

At the APEC conference centre yesterday, business executives, economists and other experts were gathered for seminars and informal talks about trade and growing business ties between Asia and Latin America.

The protests came a day after trade and foreign ministers from 21 Pacific Rim economies issued a strong show of support for ongoing World Trade Organization talks. They also agreed on counter-terrorism measures aimed at protecting air travel, shipping and food stocks.

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