Obama Makes Diplomatic Gains at Summit of the Americas

The Summit of the Americas wraps up Sunday in Trinidad and Tobago, with leaders hailing efforts by U.S. President Barack Obama to improve relations with regional adversaries.

The Western Hemisphere summit brought Mr. Obama together with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a long-time critic of the United States and its policies.

On Saturday, Mr. Chavez shook hands with Mr. Obama and handed him a book about the foreign exploitation of Latin America. 

The Venezuelan leader also proposed sending an ambassador back to Washington to restore normal relations.  Both countries expelled each others' envoys in September.

Mr. Chavez reached out to Mr. Obama after the U.S. president called for a new beginning in U.S. relations with Cuba, Venezuela's closest ally.

Mr. Obama says he wants to see a change in U.S.-Cuban relations, but also democratic reform on the communist-led island.  

Cuba was excluded from the summit.

Mr. Chavez and other leaders at the summit pressed Mr. Obama to lift the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba. 

This past week, President Obama lifted restrictions on travel and money transfers by Cuban-Americans to the island.

Beyond the politics, regional leaders discussed how to revive their economies