The IX Summit of the Americas started this Monday in the city of Los Angeles United States) with the opening of Civil Society Forum and in the midst of the controversy over exclusion, already confirmed by the Biden administrationfrom Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua.
“It is an honor to welcome you to the Civil Society Forum which takes place within the framework of IX Summit of the Americassaid the secretary general of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, at the opening ceremony of the forum, in a hotel in the Californian city.
Almagro He affirmed that the summit takes place at a “historic moment” that should serve to “strengthen inter-American relations” and that reflects the desire to “renew the hemispheric alliance” among the countries of the region.
He stressed that it is time to “defend with firmness and determination” democracy and find solutions for the structural problems that affect the continent.
In the first of the two days of this IX Civil Society Forum They will address, among other topics, the protection of the environment, the defense of democracy, the construction of sustainable cities and the strengthening of the region to face global emergencies.
The days leading up to this ninth edition of the Summit of the Americas have been marked by controversy over the guest list, after the United States announced its intention to exclude Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela by not considering their governments democratic.
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After a few days of uncertainty, the Joe Biden Administration opted to leave them out of the summit due to “the lack of democratic spaces and the situation of human rightsin those three countries.
Several Latin American countries had already expressed their disagreement with that decision and some leaders, as a form of protest, have decided not to attend the summit, such as Bolivian Luis Arce and the Mexican Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who announced his refusal this Monday.
The IX Summit of the Americas is being held in the Californian city of Los Angeles until next Friday, although the plenary sessions with the regional leaders will take place only starting Thursday, according to the schedule of US Department of State
This is the first time that the United States hosts the continental event since its first edition, which took place in 1994, in Miami, during the Bill Clinton’s government.
