U.S. President Barack Obama told an audience in Rio that Brazil is a “thriving democracy” and a model for movements rising against authoritarian governments in the Middle East and North Africa.

President Barack Obama made the case for his first trip to South America before arriving by saying economic partnerships with the region will help secure U.S. jobs. In Brasilia, Obama met with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who called for a more multilateral world.

"The United States faces a new moment in the Americas: no longer can we take economic partnership or political influence for granted," writes COA's Eric Farnsworth for The Huffington Post.

"A successful trip could be measured as one in which Obama and the leaders of the visited countries better understand the shared vision before us," writes AS/COA President and CEO Susan Segal in an article about President Barack Obama's March 19-23 trip.

With President Obama set to commence a five-day, Latin American tour on March 19, AS/COA offers coverage and analysis to shine a light on priorities for his first presidential visit to Central and South America.

"Mutually beneficial engagement requires the United States to welcome Brazil’s emergence as a global power," writes Ambassador Luigi R. Einaudi for the Institute for National Strategic Studies.

U.S. President Barack Obama heads to Latin America from March 19 to 23, visiting Brazil, Chile, and El Salvador. COA Vice President Eric Farnsworth talks with AS/COA Online about why Obama chose those three countries, the trip’s timing, and the White House's top priorities for the tour.