Joe Biden insisted on Wednesday on the need to protect democracy and work together for further economic growth, during an American Summit that was embroiled in diplomatic debates.
The U.S. president called democracy ‘a necessity for the future of the Americas’, at an opening ceremony in Los Angeles filled with songs and messages from children praising the natural wonders of American nations. Latin.
“Our region is big and diverse. We don’t always get along with everyone. But because we are democracies, we approach our differences with mutual respect and dialogue,” he said.
– “Strategic Error” –
The regional summit was marked by the disappearance of some heads of state, particularly from Mexico, Guatemala, Bolivia and Honduras.
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador particularly criticized the White House for not participating in Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela. He decided not to attend the summit.
Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard, who made the trip, told his counterparts that the separation of these three countries was a “strategic mistake”. He also said Mexico will examine how institutions in the region are changing.
The American executive justified this choice through “reservations” in the face of “lack of democratic space and respect for human rights”.
Joe Biden also announced on Wednesday the launch of a “Partnership of the Americas for Economic Prosperity” to encourage further growth in Latin America.
“What is real in the United States is real in every country. The trickle-down economy is not going to work,” said the Democrat, who has criticized this idea many times that the development of the richest will automatically lead to the whole economy. . actors.
The Summit of the Americas is intended to illustrate the Biden administration’s desire to revive and renew relations with Latin American countries, at a time when China has invested heavily in the region.
– Xi Jinping’s eleven visits –
The Council of Foreign Relations counts Chinese President Xi Jinping as having visited the region 11 times since taking office in 2013.
Joe Biden has not visited Latin America since taking office in January 2021.
But Washington has no intention of responding to China with aggressive financial announcements.
“The United States never thought that its advantage in the world consisted only of raising large amounts of public money,” said senior White House diplomatic adviser Jake Sullivan.
However, the U.S. goal is to “open up large amounts of private funding,” he said.
Joe Biden also discussed the signing, scheduled for Friday, of a “Los Angeles Declaration” on immigration, a major national policy issue for the American president.
He talks about an “integrated approach” aimed at “sharing responsibility”, as more migrants arrive at the southern border of the United States.
Summit participants, he said, will make “a common commitment” to create “opportunities for safe and orderly migration” and “curb human trafficking.”
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris announced on Tuesday private sector commitments worth $ 1.9 billion to support job creation in Central America and no incentive to leave the United States.
The summit could also be an opportunity for Joe Biden to have bilateral talks.
One of the most watched is what will happen on Thursday with right-wing Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, where he will have his first face-to-face appearance.
The meeting can be dangerous. The White House has promised that Joe Biden intends to discuss the topic in Brazil’s next election, especially controversial for his Brazilian counterpart.
Jair Bolsonaro, who is seeking a second term but is struggling with the polls, is critical of his country’s electoral system, as he is already contemplating fighting a possible defeat.