The Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and Panama promoted yesterday in the United States their alliance which seeks to demonstrate that the democracy and the growth they can go hand in hand. The main meeting was with the Secretary of State of the United States, Anthony Blinken, who described the coalition as an inspiration to strengthen the democracy in the region of the Americas, in addition to being a powerful commitment of the three Latin American countries.
The head of US diplomacy said he felt grateful for the support given by the Alliance for Development in Democracy to Ukraine, after the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, attacked the European country. “It is important that the international community speaks out clearly, with one voice, with a strong voice,” Blinken said.
The Dominican Foreign Minister, Robert Alvarez, considered that it is necessary for countries to seek creative ways to come out of this “difficult moment” together and triumphant. “Today the democracy cannot be taken for granted,” Álvarez said during the meeting at the State Department. In addition, he said that the Alliance for Development in Democracy seeks to strengthen and deepen relations with the United States.
The Foreign Minister of Costa Rica, Rodolfo Solanoreiterated that the democracy, human rights, freedom of the press and of expression are under attack in the world. “In these hard times for humanity, our four countries can protect those people who are suffering this moment, and support the international community to meet this challenge,” she added.
Instead, Erika Mouynespointed out that this is a unique opportunity to defend what they believe in, the common values they share, and make it clear to everyone that the democracy “can and does deliver” results: “And that idea, at times like this, is more important than ever to defend with action.”
Schedule
Hours before meeting with Blinken, the foreign ministers of the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and Panama had a meeting at the think tank Atlantic Council.
Authorities from the Joe Biden government, the private and financial sectors participated in the call. The foreign ministers spoke about the Alliance for Development in Democracy and they referred to the importance of a strategic rapprochement of these countries with the United States to face the challenges that arise in our region.
In addition, they discussed sustainable and resilient green growth and how to address the issue of migration and its structural causes.
The Costa Rican Foreign Ministry reported that its manager, Rodolfo Solano, referred to the next coalition summit to be held on March 21 in San José, and the importance of the United States having a high-level delegation to continue with the dialogue.
Above all, that a commercial and investment council with the United States will be formalized in the fourth meeting between the presidents of Luis Abinader (Dominican), Laurentino Cortizo (Panama) and Carlos Alvarado (Costa Rica).
At a 2022 virtual conference of the Association of American Chambers of Commerce in Latin America and the Caribbean (AACCLA) and the United States Chamber of Commerce, the foreign ministers of Latin America offered the United States legal certainty and incentives to achieve greater investments from the North American country.
