WASHINGTON, July 8 (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Sunday canceled a long-planned, four-country trip to Latin America less than 24 hours before departure to help prepare a report for Congress on the Iraq war, the Pentagon said.

"Events this week require the Secretary's participation in policy meetings on Iraq in advance of the July 15th benchmark report," the Defense Department said.

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman was not available for further comment on Gates' last-minute decision.

The Bush administration must deliver an interim report to the U.S. Congress by July 15 on progress in Iraq following a decision to send another 30,000 troops to the war zone for a security crackdown aimed at halting Iraq's slide toward sectarian civil war.

The July report has gained significance as an increasing number of both Republican and Democratic lawmakers call for a change in President George W. Bush's strategy in Iraq.

Gates had planned to visit El Salvador, Colombia, Peru and Chile in his first visit to Latin America as Pentagon chief.

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