Summit of the Americas in the US: Joe Biden opens the meeting where he seeks to get closer to Latin American leaders

the president of USA, Joe Bidenopens this Wednesday in Los Angeles the ninth Summit of the Americaswhere he hopes to seduce his peers in the region, to whom he has offered financing and dialogue.

The event, where more than 20 heads of state are expected, started tarnished by a boycott by the president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), who withdrew from participating because Washington did not invite Cuba, Nicaragua or Venezuela, considering that they did not meet democratic standards.

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The presence of AMLO was key to addressing the regional migration crisis.

The Biden administration downplayed the issue and continued with his plans to cement ties in Latin America, where China has made increasing inroads against the historical influence of the United States.

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“It is foreseeable that the administration Biden come to Los Angeles to foster shared responsibility and regional cooperation, while trying to solidify alliances and partnerships, in part to counter the role of China and Russia”the Washington Office on Latin American Affairs (WOLA) said in a publication.

The promises

hours before the arrival of Bidenhis administration announced the creation of a Health Corps of the Americas to improve the training of 500,000 health workers in the region, taking advantage of the lessons of Covid-19.

The training will cost 100 million dollars, although the United States will not contribute all of it and will seek to raise funds.

On Tuesday, the vice president Kamala Harris had already announced private investments of 1.9 billion dollars aimed at boosting employment and containing migration from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador.

Harris met on Tuesday with businessmen and representatives of civil society, where he alluded to the causes that drive migration, at a time when the southern border of USA registers record numbers of intercepted migrants originating from countries such as Venezuela, Nicaragua or Haiti.

“We know that Americans will benefit from having stable and prosperous neighbors. When we provide economic opportunities for people in Central America, we address an important factor in migration,” said Harris.

“sea of ​​peace”

Mauricio Claver-Carone, president of the Inter-American Development Bank, told AFP that the region can be seen as a “sea of ​​peace” for investors, amid global turbulence over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“Latin America and the Caribbean can be a solution to these supply problems, whether it is manufacturing in Asia or food and energy in Europe.“, I consider.

The head of the IDB spoke of an increase in the intentions of “nearshoring”, or transfer of business from one country to another that is closer or more convenient, especially from China to Latin America.

As part of the support for the region, the head of US diplomacy, Antony Blinken announced on Tuesday the launch of a new “Digital Communication Network” for Latin America.

In it, journalists will be able to exchange experiences and fight against disinformation that, Blinken highlighted, played an important role during the advance of the covid pandemic.

The summit, which has not been held in the United States since 1994, began the week with little enthusiasm, although the meeting places were already beginning to show movement.

Foreign ministers from Central America and the Caribbean walked the corridors of one of the venues, interacting with businessmen, while a group of mariachis encouraged those present.

Meeting between Biden and Bolsonaro

Although there are the absences of Guatemala and Honduras, the president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, announced that he would attend and is even expected to have a bilateral meeting with Biden.

A few hours before the meeting, Bolsonaro, who was an ally of former US President Donald Trump, sowed doubts about Biden’s election in 2020.

Meanwhile, Nayib Bukele, president of El Salvador and another key actor on the migration issue, has not yet made public whether he will travel.

In contrast, the president of Chile, Gabriel Boric, debutant at the event, was one of the first to arrive.

In his speech, Biden will announce an alliance with Latin America to improve the economic situation, in full post-pandemic recovery, in order to mobilize investments, a government official reported.

With security reinforced around the hotel zone and the Los Angeles Convention Center, where the plenaries will be held, several protests are also planned.

Indigenous representatives of the Amazon will meet this Wednesday to reject the extractivist activities in the jungle, which extends through eight countries in the region.

“The fate of the Amazon is in the hands of the leaders who meet here. It is the future of life on the planet, we need to act,” the founder and president of Amazon Watch, Atossa Soltani, told AFP, questioning why voices from these communities were excluded from the meeting.

Source: Elcomercio

Ronald Payne

I, Ronald Payne, am a journalist and author who dedicated his life to telling the stories that need to be said. I have over 7 years of experience as a reporter and editor, covering everything from politics to business to crime.