Summit of the Americas: "democracy" and "prosperity" on Joe Biden's menu
US President Joe Biden opened the IX Summit of the Americas this Wednesday evening June 8 in Los Angeles.
AFP - JIM WATSON
Text by: RFI Follow
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US president calls democracy 'essential for the future of the Americas,' at opening ceremony in Los Angeles punctuated by songs and messages from children touting natural wonders of countries across the Americas .
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Joe Biden insisted this Wednesday, June 8 on the need to defend democracy and cooperate for more economic prosperity, at the opening of a
Summit of the Americas
clouded by diplomatic disputes.
“Our region is large and diverse.
We don't always agree on everything.
But because we are democracies, we approach our differences with mutual respect and dialogue,” he said.
“
Strategic error
”
The regional summit is marked by the absence of certain heads of state, notably from Mexico, Guatemala, Bolivia and Honduras.
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador
in particular criticizes the White House for having excluded Cuba,
Nicaragua
and Venezuela.
He decided not to attend the summit.
Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard, who made the trip, told his counterparts that the exclusion of these three countries constituted a “strategic error”.
He also said that Mexico would examine how to reform regional institutions.
The American executive justified this choice by “
reservations
” in the face of “
the lack of democratic space and respect for human rights
”.
Respond to the basic human desires we share for dignity, safety and security.
President Joe Biden at the IX Summit of the Americas
Relaunch the relationship with Latin American countries
Joe Biden also touted Wednesday the launch of a "Partnership of the Americas for Economic Prosperity" to encourage more inclusive growth in Latin America.
“
What is true in the United States is true in every country.
The trickle-down economy does not work
,” said the Democrat, who has already criticized this idea several times according to which the enrichment of the wealthiest would automatically lead to that of all economic actors.
The Summit of the Americas is meant to illustrate the Biden administration's desire to revive and renew the relationship with Latin American countries, at a time when China is investing heavily in the region.
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Also to listen: A badly embarked summit of the Americas
(With AFP)
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