The Americas Summit kicks off tomorrow in the United States. Organized within the framework of the OAS (Organization of American States), this type of meeting aims to discuss issues of hemisphere concern and promote cooperation opportunities across the continent.
The OAS is considered the world’s oldest regional body, dating back to the First International Conference of American States (1889-1890), when the International Association of American Republics was created. As we know it today, it was founded in 1948 as one of the founding members of Brazil.
The Summit of the Americas, proposed by the Clinton administration in the 1990s, emerged to perpetuate the so-called “Americas Initiative” and to correct the fact that the OAS did not have examples of Heads of State and Government.
That’s why the first meeting took place in Miami in 1994 with the launch of the FTAA as a central theme. Since then, seven more meetings have taken place:
- Santiago (1998),
- Quebec (2001),
- Mar del Plata (2005),
- Port of Spain (2009),
- Cartagena (2012),
- Panama City (2015) and
- Lima (2018).
In addition to the opposition and subsequent definitive rejection of the FTAA proposal by a large number of countries, the most recent Summits of the Americas have been marked by certain differences regarding Cuba and Venezuela. In the first case, involving opposing attitudes among countries regarding Cuba’s return to the inter-American system. In the latter case, due to opposition to the sanctions imposed by the United States on Caracas.
The lack of consensus in 2015 meant that the Summit ended without a final statement. 2018 was marked by a general drain: Trump, the then-president of the United States, did not attend, like many other leaders; Venezuela was not invited at the last minute and the meeting’s agenda focused on smaller, less strategic issues.
So the resumption of the event this year and its happening on North American soil raises expectations for what might come from it. Behind the scenes, we’ve seen the Biden administration have voiced strongly in recent weeks to try to prevent a widespread boycott. According to him, this is important both in terms of creating differences between the Biden and Trump administrations and showing regional leadership and prestige.
The weeks before the meeting were surrounded by many uncertainties about how the United States would deal with Cuba and Venezuela. Eventually, these two countries, as well as Nicaragua, were excluded from the event, which created criticism and turmoil.
In terms of the working agenda, the official agenda of the meeting is expected to include the themes of the four institutional pillars of the OAS and serve as an umbrella for the negotiations. These include: 1) initiatives to promote and consolidate democracy; 2) mechanisms to broaden the defense of human rights; 3) cooperation to maintain continental peace and security; and 4) policies that promote regional development.
Even so, a parallel agenda, far more permeated by sensitivities and disagreements, is highly likely to steal the show. It includes the disturbances arising from the disorderly and purposeful action of the United States in the region, as well as the role of actors who will not be there but are seen as fundamental to the region. This includes both Latin Americans excluded from the meeting and players Strategic extraterritorial countries such as Russia and especially China.
All eyes are on Los Angeles.
source: Noticias
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