Talks at a glance: Thursday’s highlights and today’s finale
The Summit of the Americas will draw to a close in Los Angeles on Friday.
The conference convenes once every three or four years and is expected to address issues including immigration, climate, and the COVID-19 pandemic. The summit’s focus: “Building a Sustainable, Resilient and Equitable Future” in the Americas. Most events are at or around the Convention Center.
Here’s a look at the Summit at a glance:
Thursday’s highlights
• President Joe Biden met with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who was a supporter of former President Donald Trump and was initially hesitant to recognize Biden’s election. Despite appearing defensive at times, Bolsonaro said the two nations “have a lot in common,” including a love of freedom, democracy and shared values. He said the nation has “a huge interest in getting closer and closer to the U.S.”
• Speaking at the CEO Summit of the Americas gathering of business leaders, Biden said governments attending the Summit will be making commitments to achieve “sustainable and equitable growth” across the region. He said those decisions will include improved supply chains, developing a “shared framework for our digital future,” advancing action against climate change, speeding the transition to clean energy, combating food insecurity and managing “safe and orderly migration.”
• Gov. Gavin Newsom met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles to enter into a partnership aimed at advancing climate action. Newsom and Trudeau held a bilateral meeting at the California Science Center, where they signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to fight climate change, protect the environment, build climate resilience, advance zero-emission vehicles and reduce pollution and plastic waste. The partnership includes commitment to engage with indigenous people in biodiversity conservation.
• Biden also met with Trudeau, reviewing cooperative efforts between the nations on issues such as economic development, the COVID-19 pandemic, immigration and food insecurity. The meeting was notably cordial, with Biden telling Trudeau, “We have no better friend in the whole world than Canada. And that’s not hyperbole. That’s real. And you’re a good personal friend as well.”
• Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris huddled with leaders of Caribbean nations. The meeting focused on deepening the U.S.-Caribbean partnership, and Harris announced a partnership aimed at addressing the climate crisis. “Through this partnership, we will support energy infrastructure and climate resilience projects at every stage of development, from beginning to end,” Harris said.
Coming up today
• Biden and other leaders are expected to sign the “Los Angeles Declaration on Migration,” which the administration official described as a pact to pursue a “comprehensive” approach to addressing the crisis.
• Biden will announce more than $300 million in regional assistance to combat food insecurity, along with health initiatives aimed at preparing for future pandemics and a partnership with the Caribbean community to address climate issues.
• 9:15 a.m.: Leaders’ Second Plenary Session.
• 10 a.m.: Leaders’ Roundtables 1 & 2 with Civil Society, private sector, and youth representatives.
• 10: 30 a.m.: USC’s Center on Public Democracy will host former Secretary of State John Kerry, the U.S. special presidential envoy for climate, for a discussion of “the challenges and opportunities in climate diplomacy and climate efforts in the context of the Summit of the Americas.”
• 10:45: Biden will deliver remarks at the Battleship Iowa in San Pedro.
• 11:30 a.m.: Leaders’ roundtables 3 & 4 with Civil Society, private sector, and youth representatives.
• 1:30 p.m.: Heads of Delegation of the IX Summit of the Americas family photo.
• 1:45 p.m.: Leaders’ retreat and working luncheon hosted by the president of the United States.
• 1:45 p.m.: Ministers’ luncheon hosted by the secretary of state of the United States.
• 3:30 p.m.: Leaders’ Third Plenary Session.
• 3:30 p.m.: Leaders’ roundtables 5 & 6 with Civil Society, private sector, and youth representatives.
• 5 p.m.: Leaders’ Roundtables 7 & 8 with Civil Society, private sector, and youth representatives.
• After hours: Biden is expected to appear at two Democratic fund-raisers.
Demonstrations/ Alternative events
Several alternative events and protests were staged alongside the summit, with some wrapping up Friday:
• The three-day People’s Summit for Democracy, organized as a counter-event to the concurrent Summit of the Americas, will continue at Los Angeles TradeTechnical College. Organizers say the summit will include art, music, speakers, debates, workshops. panel discussions and performances that “uplift the voices of the people and imagine a new world, one that puts people’s democracy first.” Among those set to speak at the event are Melina Abdullah of Black Lives Matter Los Angeles, political activist/ philosopher Cornel West, Puerto Rican independence fighter Oscar López Rivera, Honduran Indigenous leader Bertha Zúniga and Indian historian Vijay Prashad. A full program of events is at https://peoplessummit2022.org/program.
• 5 p.m. A march will wind from Los Angeles Trade Technical College to “Biden’s Summit of Exclusion,” organized by the People’s Summit.
Traffic watch
Through Saturday, commuters should avoid:
• The areas between the Santa Monica (10) and the Hollywood (101) freeways west of the Harbor (110) Freeway, whenever possible.
• Connector ramps from the east and westbound 10 Freeway to the 110 Freeway north;
• The 110 Freeway northbound exits into downtown, including Pico Boulevard, Ninth Street, Sixth Street, Fourth Street and Third Street;
• The 110 Freeway southbound exits for Sixth Street and Wilshire Boulevard;
• Figueroa Street, north and southbound, between Washington Boulevard and Third Street;
• Pico Boulevard, east and westbound, between Union Avenue and Grand Avenue;
• Seventh Street, east and westbound, between Bixel Street and Flower Street; and
• Wilshire Boulevard, east and westbound, between Bixel Street and Flower Street.
People can use the following freeway exits to access downtown between Monday and Saturday:
• Exit 16A Santa Fe, 15B Alameda Street, 15A Central Ave, 14B San Pedro Street and 14A Convention Center if traveling westbound on the 10 Freeway;
• Exit Convention Center/Grand Avenue/Olive Street, 14A Maple Avenue, 14B San Pedro Street, 15A Central Avenue, 15B Alameda Street, 16A Santa Fe Avenue if traveling eastbound on the 10 Freeway; and
• Exit 20B 37th Street and Exposition Boulevard, 20C Adams Boulevard, or transition onto either the 10 or 101 Freeways east or westbound if traveling northbound on the 110 Freeway.
Updates on road closures will be provided on Twitter through Caltrans at @CaltransDist7 and @CaltransHQ.
For help/more information
• Bicyclists, DASH users, Metro riders and those about to get on a plane can find more information below. Twitter is expected to jam up with details both helpful and dramatic. Here are some online spots to start:
• Unified L.A. (city of Los Angeles): Twitter account @unifiedla and website at http://unifiedla.lacity.org.
Caltrans District 7 (lane/ ramp closures): Twitter accounts @CaltransDist7 and @CaltransHQ.
• Los Angeles Department of Transportation (DASH routes): Twitter accounts @ladotofficial and @ladottransit and website at http://ladottransit.com/ whatsnew.
• Metro (buses and trains): Twitter account @ metrolaalerts.
• Los Angeles International Airport (airport): Twitter accounts @FlyLAXStats (travel time to and through the central terminal area) and @FlyLAXAirport.
• During the event, people who use Metro’s bike share program may see service interruptions due to the temporary removal of three bike share stations starting Thursday, June 2. The stations will be back June 13.