U.S. President Barack Obama, currently on a Latin America tour, said Saturday that he wants to open more markets around the world to promote business and create jobs for Americans.

In his weekly radio and Internet address, Obama discussed his trip to Latin America and the importance of strengthening the U.S.economic partnership with the region to create "good jobs" at home.

He said that while the United States is responding to the immediate crises abroad -- from change in the Middle East and North Africa to the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear problems in Japan, "we also will not let up in our efforts to tackle the pressing, ongoing challenges facing our country, including accelerating economic growth."

"One of the main reasons for my trip is to strengthen economic partnerships abroad so that we create good jobs at home," he said.

Obama arrived in Brasilia on Saturday and will travel to Chile and El Salvador. In Chile's capital of Santiago, Obama will dwell on U.S. policy toward Latin America.

The president sees growth and job creation as his top priorities as he seeks reelection in 2012. In 2010, he set a goal of doubling U.S. exports by 2014.