Miami, USA — The III Summit of the European Union (EU) and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) brought together leaders and dignitaries from 60 countries in Brussels at a crucial moment in the relationship between the two regions. The meeting was considered successful, although not without its challenges. From the difficulty of adopting a common stance on the condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Latin American historical claims against Europe, to the celebrations of side events and condemnation of the participation of Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, the two days of the summit have been eventful.
Formed by 33 countries, the CELAC was established in 2011. Among its main drivers were then presidents Hugo Chávez of Venezuela, Néstor Kirchner of Argentina, and Evo Morales of Bolivia. Brazil left the mechanism in 2020 during the right-wing government of Jair Bolsonaro and returned in January of this year, following the return of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for his third term as president. While the 60 leaders of the member countries of both blocs were invited, the presidents of El Salvador, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela did not attend and sent their foreign ministers instead.
Criticism from Cuba and Venezuela
With harsh words, the Cuban Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodríguez, denounced the «lack of transparency» and «manipulative behavior» of the European Union in the preparations for the event a week before. «The behavior of the European Union puts at risk the possibility of reaching final agreements at the summit,» said the Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs through a video on Twitter. Venezuela, a strong ally of the Caribbean island, joined the protests. The main reason for the protests was the side events of the summit, in which members of the civil society of the invited countries would participate. Havana and Caracas criticized the way in which the EU chose the Latin American representatives, many of whom were human rights activists and opponents of their governments. At the summit, there were plans to hold a series of parallel events, without the necessary coordination with our countries, whose conclusions could be instrumentalized to support the agendas of political groups opposed to the objectives of this important meeting,» insisted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Alternative Summit
The so-called Peoples’ Summit started as a parallel event to the main meeting and for two days brought together representatives of around 160 organizations who participated in debates and demonstrations in front of the buildings of the European Council and the European Parliament in Brussels. Activists on both sides expressed their reasons, some in favor and others against the presence of governments such as Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela at the EU-CELAC Summit. In addition, forums were held on various topics such as decolonization, energy transition and development, migration, and the need to maintain a relationship based on equality and non-interference. Leftist leaders such as Colombian Gustavo Petro and Cuban Miguel Díaz-Canel, as well as Mexican Chancellor Alicia Bárcena, spoke at this parallel event, which, according to its organizers, sees «peace and dialogue» as the only possible «guiding principles» in a time of «great geopolitical stress.»
Parallel Negotiations on Venezuela
Presidents Emmanuel Macron of France, Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva of Brazil, Gustavo Petro of Colombia, and Alberto Fernández of Argentina held parallel meetings with negotiating delegations from the Venezuelan government and opposition, with the aim of seeking «lasting solutions» to the crisis in the South American country. The meeting, which lasted an hour and a half, served to «revive a process that allows for a democratic agreement through dialogue between different factions of Venezuelan society,» explained Petro about the negotiation process in Mexico. «We are willing to make room for democratic dialogue in Venezuela,» added the Colombian president. The delegation of the Democratic Unity Platform in the dialogue with the government in Mexico, suspended since November of last year, reiterated the «need» to resume negotiations and reiterated its demand for guarantees and «truly free and competitive» elections, respect for primary elections, and the «urgent» release of all political prisoners and an end to political persecution. In addition, the opposition delegation reiterated the need for an agreement on political and social guarantees that «eases the suffering of Venezuelans.» Meetings are expected to be repeated in the coming months to address issues related to political negotiations in Venezuela, as Macron assured representatives of the press on Tuesday.
EU as an Alternative to China and Russia in Latin America
The III Summit between the EU and the CELAC was held with the aspiration of strengthening and modernizing the bilateral relationship between the two regions, as well as enhancing cooperation in a changing scenario since 2015, the date of the last summit of this kind. For European leaders, it is now a priority to prove their worth as powerful partners in the face of the growing influence of Russia and, above all, China in Latin America. «The world we live in is more competitive and conflict-prone than ever. Still reeling from the high cost of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world is suffering from the Russian aggression against Ukraine,» said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday. Von der Leyen added that «this happens in the context of China’s increasing assertiveness abroad» and announced that the EU plans to invest 45 billion euros in the region within its Global Gateway program, seen as a rival to China’s Silk Road infrastructure investment scheme.
Investing in Sustainable Development
Within the Global Gateway, the EU aims to support Latin America and the Caribbean in developing infrastructure for digital transition and green policies, as well as investing in vital areas such as transport, energy, health, and education. In this III Summit, the bloc signed a memorandum of understanding with Chile for cooperation in the area of «critical» raw materials for the development of clean energy and digital transition for both parties. «We will share knowledge, promote skills, and respect the highest environmental standards,» said Ursula von der Leyen, who witnessed the signing alongside Chilean President Gabriel Boric. In the final declaration of the meeting, the signatories emphasized «the importance of fulfilling the commitment jointly made by developed countries to mobilize $100 billion annually to finance the fight against climate change in support of developing countries, and doubling funding for adaptation to climate change by 2025.»
BID Supports European Strategy with Latin America
The President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Ilan Goldfajn, sees the European Union’s investment commitment to Latin America as key in helping to reinforce the regional bank’s goals in crucial areas such as climate change, biodiversity preservation, and food insecurity. The head of the multilateral organization said on Tuesday in Brussels, following the conclusion of the meeting between European leaders and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), that the European investment will «revitalize political and economic ties» at a time when the region is seen as «crucial» for the transition to clean energies. Currently, 30% of Latin America’s energy supply comes from renewable sources. The head of the IDB believes that «by working more closely, Europe’s public and private sectors and those of our region can turn this opportunity into a reality (…) This investment benefits not only Latin America and the Caribbean but also the European Union, at a time of many shared priorities,» said Goldfajn.
Ukraine as a Challenge to Achieving Unanimity
The position against the war in Ukraine by Russia was the most difficult issue for the participants to agree on.
Fuente de TenemosNoticias.com: www.vozdeamerica.com
Publicado el: 2023-07-18 17:24:36
En la sección: América Latina – Voice of America