French president takes last tour through Latin America

French President Francois Hollande started a final Latin America tour today before stepping down in a few months after elections to choose his successor.
The trip, to Chile then Colombia, aimed to highlight French and EU ties to the region, which is on tenterhooks following the inauguration of the new US president, Donald Trump.
Hollande and his Chilean counterpart Michelle Bachelet were launching a Franco-Chilean Year of Innovation, signing a series of cooperation accords and talking up investment opportunities.
Bachelet, herself leaving office after Chilean elections in November, told AFP ahead of Hollande's arrival that she was looking to France "to back us" in the midst of EU uncertainty as Britain moves to exit the bloc.

In particular, she said in an interview yesterday, she wants support in renegotiating an association agreement with the European Union.
Hollande, who was to leave late tomorrow for Colombia, is deeply unpopular with voters in France.
He has said he won't try for re-election in April, leaving the field open to leftwing allies and conservative rivals.