US President Barack Obama returned to the US after a three-day visit to Mexico and Costa Rica. While visiting Costa Rica, the US President urged leaders in Central American to integrate their economies, reduce their high energy costs and confront violence in the region. "It's very hard to create a strong economy when people are personally feeling insecure," Obama said. But the US President urged Costa Rican leaders not to lose sight of the critical importance of trade and commerce. Obama had met with leaders of the member states of the Central American Integration System (SICA), which includes Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Panama, Belize, and Dominican Republic.