Summit of
Americas' Final Declaration Still At Stake
Obama To Visit
Colombia In Next Latin American Trip
Latin American
Leaders Laud Obama's Offer of Closer Ties
Chavez Names
New Ambassador to Washington
Latin American
Leaders Laud Obama's Offer of Closer Ties
PORT OF SPAIN - Leaders attending an
Americas summit here welcomed on Saturday
U.S. President Barack Obama's offer of
building closer ties with Latin American
countries.
"We all acknowledge a new reality in the
Americas, a new spirit of understanding and
cooperation to respectfully deal with Cuba,
climate change and economic crisis in the
world today," Panama's President Matin
Torrijos Espino told a plenary session of
the 5th Summit of the Americas, which opened
Friday in the capital of Trinidad and
Tobago.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the
summit on Friday night, Obama told 33 other
summit leaders that the United States seeks
an "equal partnership" with them.
He promised his hemispheric neighbors that
he will "launch a new chapter of engagement
that will be sustained throughout my
administration."
In response to an "overture" from the Cuban
leader for talks, Obama pledged "a new
beginning" in relationship with Cuba, the
only country on the continent that was
excluded from the summit.
"We are relieved and comforted by the
recognition that it is possible to live in
peace and fully respect the differences
between us," Brazilian President Luiz Inacio
Lula da Silva said.
Chilean Prime Minister Michelle Bachelet
echoed the words of Lula, saying that he had
witnessed at the meeting "a spirit of new
rapprochement."
Paraguay's President Fernando Lugo talked
about rejoicing "at the air we breathe at
this summit -- the air of hope."
"In just a short time, change has come,"
Lugo said.
Uruguay's President Tabare Vazquez stressed
the importance of finding "a new
relationship between Latin America and the
United States."
"Microsoft is more important than Marines,
CNN more important than the CIA, and
American Airlines more important than the
Air Force," Vazquez said. "We should accept
that Latin America is not a victim of
history, but a protagonist of history."
While applauding the U.S. president's
conciliatory gestures, Venezuelan President
Hugo Chavez also urged for concrete actions.
"President Obama has called for change and
oneness, and that spirit cannot just remain
at the top. It had to trickle down to the
embassies and institutions, in order to
really embrace that spirit," Chavez said.
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