Latin American,
Caribbean Summit Holds First Session
PLAYA DEL CARMEN, MEXICO - The evening
session of the Summit of Latin American and
Caribbean Unity has been held amid the
discretion which has characterized it from
its preparation.
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Summit
The meeting was inaugurated with a welcome
speech -the only speech released so far- by
Mexican President Felipe Calderon, who said
that the idea of Latin American unity is
consistent with its own process of
independence, started 200 years ago.
Calderon also recalled that when regional
countries have remained united, they have
been able to overcome adversities, while in
frequent confrontations these countries have
lagged behind other parts of the world.
At least 32 of the 33-member Rio Group are
represented in this close door summit
(Honduras was not invited), 26 of them by
their presidents or prime ministers.
Presidents of Peru, Bahamas, Guayana, Saint
Lucia, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago have
skipped the meeting, but are represented by
members of their Cabinets.
A Mexican Foreign Ministry official told
Prensa Latina that the presidents of some
Caribbean nations were unable to attend
because their national holidays are being
marked these days.
During a midday recess, the heads of
delegations were taken an official photo
with the Caribbean Sea as background and
then went to a private lunch with President
Calderon.
More than twenty representatives of
international bodies are taking part as
observers, and Mexican Congress members have
also been invited, including several
governors led by host Felix Rodriguez Canto,
from Quintana Roo. |
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