Summit diplomacy overshadows policy debates
(June 7, 2022)
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador followed through with his threat to boycott this week’s Summit of the Americas, over the exclusion of Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela. (See yesterday’s post.) He blamed pressure from U.S. Republican and Democratic lawmakers as well as the influence of the Cuban American community for the Biden administration’s decision to exclude leaders of the three countries, reports the New York Times.
The United States "understands" Mexico's position on the Summit of the Americas, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said yesterday. He defended Washington's decision to exclude the trio of countries, saying those countries "are not exemplars of democratic governance." (Reuters)
The Biden administration's decision to exclude Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba from the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles this week was a "mistake," Chilean President Gabriel Boric said yesterday. Boric said the U.S. move was "reinforcing the position that these other countries take in their own countries. We think it's an error, a mistake, and we're going to say that during the summit." (Reuters, see yesterday’s post)
Indeed, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said Washington's decision to not invite himself or the leaders of Cuba and Nicaragua “was an act of discrimination.” (Reuters)
Beyond the complicated optics, Mexico’s absence casts doubt on the chances of success on migration issues at a moment when a rise in migrants at the U.S. border has become a searing political flashpoint, reports Politico.
Biden is expected to stress that every nation – not just the U.S. and Mexico – has experienced irregular migration during the pandemic and will reveal a new plan emphasizing responsibility-sharing and economic support throughout the Western Hemisphere, according to Politico.
More Summit
The Biden administration will use the Summit to promote plans to address economic, health and food security issues in Latin America to stem migration to the U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to announce $3.2 billion in corporate pledges to help tackle the “root causes” of migration from Central America, reports NBC.
And Biden is expected to announce, later this week, an economic partnership for the Western hemisphere called Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. It’s focused on economic recovery by building on existing trade agreements. Officials said the plan will cover five areas including mobilizing investments, reinvigorating institutions, clean energy jobs, resilient supply chains and sustainable trade. (Reuters)
Harris will have an opportunity to connect with leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean this week, but it’s unclear that she can demonstrate her clout, according to the Associated Press.
AMLO’s stance highlights how Latin America's leftists are pursuing an increasingly independent foreign policy from Washington, reports Reuters.
Colombia
Completely outside of Colombia’s traditional party system, presidential candidate Rodolfo Hernández has built a 500,000-strong virtual network of supporters. In large part he has done so with a platform called “Rodolfistas,” in which users are grouped by area or interest, and can advance levels by convincing new adherents, reports La Silla Vacía.
Hernández has used a team of social media wizards in their 20s to position himself as the self-proclaimed “King of TikTok.” He’s charmed young people with his quirky videos, posing in sunglasses, doing sit-ups or dancing to reggaeton remixes. He rarely talks policies or plans. He admits he doesn’t know the country well, but he doesn’t think it matters, reports the Washington Post.
Chile
Boric promised sweeping social change — but faces huge challenges in negotiating with political rivals, and keeping allies on board, writes Jon Lee Anderson in a New Yorker profile of the 36-year-old former student leader.
Brazil
Brazilian journalists and Indigenous activists criticized Brazilian authorities’ search for journalist Dom Phillips and Indigenous expert Bruno Araújo Pereira, who have been missing in the Amazon jungle since Sunday, reports the New York Times. (See yesterday’s briefs.)
Bolivia
Bolivian prosecutors said they would seek a 15-year jail term for former interim president Jeanine Áñez, who is on trial for "breach of duty" and taking resolutions contrary to the Constitution when she was a senator, before becoming president. She is separately accused of sedition in relation to her presidential stint. (AFP)
Ecuador
Clashes between criminal organizations and a higher stakes drug trade are driving increased levels of violence in Ecuador — Latin America Risk Report.
The security situation won’t change without a plan to deal with illegal mining, writes James Bosworth in a follow-up Latin America Risk Report post.
International trade exacerbates domestic income inequality, at least in some circumstances, according to an MIT economist-authored empirical study focused on Ecuador.
St. Lucia
Several brutal killings have shaken St. Lucia, as murders in the country reach record levels, reports InSight Crime.