Washington, March 7, SPA -- U.S. Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy Karen Hughes will travel to Chile, Brazil, Colombia, Panama, and El Salvador from March 10 to March 18, the State Department announced Monday. Hughes will accompany Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to the inauguration of Chilean President-elect Michelle Bachelet on March 11, the department said in a statement. During other stops in Sao Paulo, Bogota, Panama City, and San Salvador, Hughes is scheduled to meet with "students, non-governmental organizations, community leaders, and senior government officials," the statement said. Hughes, one of President George W. Bush's closest advisors, heads U.S. diplomatic and government-funded media efforts to improve the image of the United States abroad.--SPA 12 43 Local Time 09 43 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/337274