Buenos Aires Summit: What is Cuba looking for in CELAC?

The Cuban government released on Monday the main objectives it will set at the seventh meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in Argentina, among them “reaffirm the regional rejection of the blockade” of the United States against the island

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel is already in Buenos Aires to participate in the regional meeting that will begin this Tuesday at the Sheraton de Retiro hotel.

In a message published over the weekend, he stressed the maximum “unity in diversity” among CELAC members.

According to what was published on Monday by Granma, spokesman for the ruling Communist Party of Cuba of which Díaz-Canel is first secretary, Cuba will try to “contribute to the strengthening of CELAC and increase its effectiveness as a mechanism for coordination and regional integration”.

It is also proposed, together with the other members of the organization, “to strengthen the recognition of CELAC as an authentic representative of Latin America and the Caribbean, and sole interlocutor who can speak for the region in the global context”.

Another goal of Cuba at the summit is “to consolidate the regional rejection of Cuba’s arbitrary inclusion in the list of countries allegedly sponsors of terrorism” and to obtain the adoption of “a Special Declaration on Terrorism, which includes the issue”.

Celac-EU summit

President Díaz-Canel will support the achievement of a Special declaration on nuclear disarmament and “to promote the postulates of the proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace”.

Also “to preserve and strengthen regional unity ahead of the CELAC-EU summit in Julyin Brussels and “ensure that the priorities of the Caribbean countries are duly contained in the final documents”.

A Cuban goal before the Celac meeting is “hold bilateral meetings with other regional leaderson issues of common interest,” said Granma, who dedicated the Monday edition to highlighting aspects of CELAC and its goals.

What is Celac

CELAC, which was created in 2010 to include all countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, unlike Unasur, which does not include Mexico, and compared to OAS, influenced by the United Statesseeks to establish itself again as an actor capable of promoting regional interests.

The emergence of CELAC coincided with a particular geopolitical moment for Latin America. With strong US attention focused on the war on terrorism, the weakening of the OAS, and the fraying of inter-American institutions, the possibility has arisen of a new organization capable of channeling the concerns of the region.

Agencies