The United States Wednesday said it is still formulating the invitation list regarding the attendance at the Summit of the Americas to be held next month, indicating nonetheless that the four-day event will be a success.
“We are still looking though the invitations, we are continuing to engage in conversations with different countries and once we make the final decision we will make an announcement,” said Juan Gonzalez, National Security Council Senior Director for the Western Hemisphere.
Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries are divided on whether or not to boycott the June 6-10 event, with St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, confirming Wednesday that he nor any other government minister will be attending the summit in protest over Washington’s decision not to invite the leaders of Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua.
Other countries in the Americas, including Mexico, have also raised concerns regarding their participation at the deliberations, insisting that the summit should be inclusive and not exclusive.
Gonzalez, a Special Assistant to President Joe Biden, along with Brian A Nichols, the Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, fielded questions from reporters on the upcoming ninth Summit of the Americas that Washington said would focus on “Building a Sustainable, Resilient, and Equitable Future” for the hemisphere.
Asked repeatedly during the specially arranged telephonic press briefing to provide an update regarding the participation of the three countries, the US officials said “we still have some final considerations, but we will inform people publicly soon about the final invitation list”.
Gonzalez said it was important in terms of the summit to examine “why we are gathering and focus on our collective responsibility for a more inclusive and prosperous future for the hemisphere.
“So we have not been focus on who is and who is not been invited, but more really on the outcomes that we want to achieve at the summit.”
He acknowledged that there have been “very respectful and active conversations” with Mexico, whose President, Andres Manuel López Obrador has threatened not to attend if invitations are not extended to Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua.
Mexico is regarded as probably the most important Latin American country to attend the summit with the two US officials indicating that it will include a special focus on immigration
“The approach we have taken is to talk with the leaders of the region, talk to Mexico, but I will go back to the previous answer to say we are still having some final considerations and as soon as the White House makes a final decision…that is something we will be happy to brief folks…”
The US officials said the US has treated the countries in the region “as our partners” and have been “very respectful of the different perspectives (but) ultimately it is something that as the host prerogative we will make the final decision and then we will announce that the decision has been made”.
They said they do not share the view that the issue is a “distraction from the summit itself, adding that “while it is hard to confirm anything before it happens but we are very confident that the summit will be well attended”.
They said they are also confident that the US-Mexico relationship would remain “positive” and that President Biden personally wants his Mexican counterpart to be in Los Angeles.
They reiterated that the summit will allow for the hemisphere to rise to dealing with the socio-economic challenges facing the region.
“I think we will let the results speak for themselves,” Gonzalez said, with his colleague telling reporters “we are very much focused on addressing the issues that affect people in their daily lives in our hemisphere.
“We will have attendance from leaders from throughout our hemisphere,” he said, adding that apart from the politicians there will also be representatives from the private sector as well as civil society and other stakeholders.
“They are coming together in an unprecedented way …to talk about the issues of concern that affect people in their daily lives,” he said, adding these issues include health care, education, broad-based internet technology as well as reliable and affordable access to food.
