The invitation of the Government of Alberto Fernández to the presidents Daniel Ortega, of Nicaragua; Nicolás Maduro, from Venezuela, and Miguel Díaz-Canel, from Cuba, for the summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac), which will be held next week in Buenos Aires, generated strong criticism from the Argentine opposition that described them as “dictators” and called for a rejection in Congress.
The president of the Republican Proposal (PRO) party and presidential candidate for Together for Change, Patricia Bullrich, was one of the first to react. “We want an Argentina free of dictators! Let’s all say NO to the ‘visit’ of autocratic presidents. Our country is not an aguantary,” said the also former Security Minister of the Government of Mauricio Macri.
We want an Argentina free of dictators! Let’s all say NO to the “visit” of autocratic presidents. Our country is NOT an aguantadero. pic.twitter.com/ash7BMENcd
— Patricia Bullrich (@PatoBullrich) January 17, 2023
Similarly, the deputy Ricardo López Murphy, expressed: “The government of inept and infamous presided over by Alberto Fernández has invited Maduro, Ortega and Díaz-Canel to Argentina. My absolute rejection of any entry of dictators into our homeland. Their mere presence is an insult to democracy and our National Constitution”.
López Murphy, who is a leader of the United Republicans party, presented a draft declaration in the Chamber of Deputies in which he stresses his “deep concern” over the official invitation to the “highest leaders of dictatorial regimes that violate the human rights of their respective towns”.
The government of inept and infamous that he presides over @alferdez has invited Maduro, Ortega and Díaz Canel to Argentina. My absolute rejection of any entry of dictators into our Homeland. Their mere presence is an insult to democracy and our National Constitution. pic.twitter.com/qKGiRd0cFO
— Ricardo López Murphy (@rlopezmurphy) January 16, 2023
Liberal deputy José Luis Espert also presented a second draft declaration repudiating the possible visits and also requested that the three be declared “persona non grata.”
“Argentina is a democratic and republican country, and there is no debate in society that makes us think that we should change. The real debate is to be able to improve the quality of life of Argentines”, highlighted Espert.
“Then it is not understood why space is given to dictators like Maduro, Díaz Canel and Ortega who have always attacked the democratic system with a dark look at the lives of their peoples and the democratic political models of Latin America,” continued the president. Deputy of Avanza Libertad.
“Once again, Kirchnerism shows us that it is a machine for lying and accommodating speeches according to its convenience. You cannot believe how here they say they have a policy in favor of human rights and are unaware of the violation of those same human rights in Maduro’s Chavista Venezuela, in Cuba and in Nicaragua,” added Espert.
In addition, Espert released a statement from its Avanza Libertad space on its social networks in rejection of the possible arrival in the country of the three presidents.
We repudiate the possible visit of the dictators Nicolás Maduro, Miguel Díaz Canel and Daniel Ortega to Argentina. Let’s defend the validity of the Republic throughout Latin America without ambiguities!@AvanzaLibertad_ @Ucede_PBA @PartidoAutonom6 @BontempoHugo @DanielRobertoI5 pic.twitter.com/1JdgNIVlpU
– José Luis Espert (@jlespert) January 17, 2023
“The list of reprehensible actions of the Governments of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua would be long. These possible visits hurt the republican sensibilities of Argentina and are unacceptable,” the statement said.
The VII summit of Celac
The VII Celac summit will bring together delegations from 33 countries in Buenos Aires, among them some twenty heads of state and government are expected, who will begin to arrive in Argentina starting next weekend to participate in the meeting that officially begins the Tuesday January 24.
Information released by the Argentine media indicates that most of the region’s leaders are being attracted by the presence of Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, who on Monday the 23rd will participate in a bilateral meeting with Alberto Fernández. So far, the governments of Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela have not publicly confirmed his presence.
Relations between Ortega and Fernández remain at a low ebb. During the last Celac summit, in September 2021, the Nicaraguan Foreign Minister, Denis Moncada Colindres, described the Government of Argentina as “instrument of US imperialism” and assured that the Ortega regime will not support the Peronist Administration to assume the pro tempore presidency of Celac. Months later, in January 2022, Moncada backtracked and ended up voting for Argentina after some “high level negotiations”.
However, in August 2022, Ortega attacked his Argentine counterpart, Alberto Fernándezof whom he said: “He is playing a more shameful, sadder, more degrading role than the one played by” the OAS Secretary General, the Uruguayan Luis Almagro, “who is openly an instrument of the gringos.”
The Sandinista leader accused Fernández of “betraying” the principles of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac), chaired by the Argentine ruler, who, he said, has become “an instrument of the Yankee empire.”
For Ortega, “it really is a sad, painful moment” for Latin America, “because with a president like that, in Celac, it is embarrassing to be in Celac.”
“I don’t know what end Celac will have if Argentina does not have the decency and honor not to submit to the empire,” he added.
