Ninth Summit of the Americas: Failure or success?
“What is this supposed to be, the Summit of the Americas or the Summit of Friends of America?” Andrés Manuel López Obrador, President of Mexico. “The failure of the Summit is not consequence-free. China will sense a grand opportunity, and our shared neighborhood will continue to drift into its orbit. The US needs a positive, forwardlooking agenda that can be built with our neighbors.” From The Hill, May 12, 2022
I HAVE addressed the USA’s historically strained relationship with countries in this hemisphere – its neighbourhood, for which the USA is not blameless.
I raised concern about the US hosting the Ninth Summit of the Americas (which will be hosted in Los Angeles from June 6-10) in articles in January.
This is only the second time that the US is hosting the summit since its inauguration in Miami, Florida, in December 1994. This summit’s possibilities for making meaningful progress seem limited already, although this should be an opportunity for dialogue and building partnerships in a time of global crises.
As host, the USA can determine which heads of state and government will be invited to the summit, in accordance with democracy criteria agreed in 2001. As it did for President Biden’s December 2021 Summit on Democracy, it has been signalled that the USA will not be inviting all heads of states and governments of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).
For this summit, it will be excluding three – President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela, President Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua, and President Miguel Diaz-Canel of Cuba. This exclusion has ignited opposition in the LAC. As President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico has said, this is a Summit of the Americas and should be inclusive. Heads of state and government, including Mexico, have been threatening not to attend.
Regarding Canada, the White House read-out of a conversation between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on May 6 indicates that they discussed the Summit of the Americas and their shared priorities on goals, such as green and equitable growth in the hemisphere. So, it seems Canada intends to be there. I would not doubt that Canada has its own issues to raise.
The White House and the State Department have been on a mission to persuade LAC heads to attend the summit – Vice-President Kamala Harris, the president’s wife, Jill Biden, and others were dispatched to specific capitals to encourage attendance. It now appears, after these demarches, that Brazil’s President, Jair Bolsonaro, will be attending. It appears that the US would accept a lower-level delegation from Cuba. President Diaz-Canel has said he will not attend under any circumstances.
The controversy extends to the countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), where heads have also raised their concern about the lack of inclusion in summit invitees, and it is said that the heads are being lobbied by Washington. Although some countries have signalled their intention to attend, it is still not certain that all 14 CARICOM countries will be present. At least one head is not planning to attend.
BIGGER ISSUES
This controversy over attendance is most unfortunate at this time of world crises, which should be on the agenda – continuing COVID19 pandemic, war in Ukraine, rising inflation, food insecurity, climate change, and prospects for economic recovery. At the hemispheric level specifically, other critical issues include Haiti, migration, trade and investment, and security, including gun control. The lack of gun control in the USA is a problem for many countries in this hemisphere. In addition, the summit allows discussion on the status of democracy, which is threatened not only in the LAC, but also clearly in the USA. There is reason for concern in Canada as well.
As pointed out i n the Hill publication, failure of this summit is not without its consequences for the USA. It would highlight the divisions between the USA and its neighbours, and would further open the door to other powers, not just China, but also Russia, and even India, to challenge the USA in what it considers its sphere of influence.
The USA is not required to like all governments in the hemisphere or to agree with their policies; but to borrow from Winston Churchill, it is always better to jaw-jaw – to promote dialogue. This summit should be a welcome opportunity for dialogue. Now, more than ever, should be a time for building bridges, and not walls, in this hemisphere, and for creating situations which foster the growth of democracy.
Creating and strengthening partnerships should be a priority. Illegal migrants would not flood into the USA if it did more to support development in the LAC countries.