Havana and Washington intensify diplomatic pulse ahead of US summit | International

From three weeks Summit of the United States Cuba, summoned by US President Joe Biden, has launched a diplomatic offensive against Washington, warning that it will have to settle the claims of presidents of countries such as the United States against being excluded from the summit, as well as against Venezuela and Nicaragua. Mexico, Honduras or Bolivia are asked to reconsider his position and invite everyone or else they will not attend. The Cuban parliament this weekend called the US veto a “new act of aggression by the United States against Cuba,” not a “justification,” while President Miguel Diaz-Canel promised on his Twitter account that it was “the new era of wanting the continent.” “Instead of being guilty of hate politics, the United States should call for a summit involving many in Latin America,” he added.

Washington has not yet issued an official invitation to the governments of the countries attending the US summit in Los Angeles between June 6 and 10. But Various U.S. officials They have already pointed out that only democracies are invited and that Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela do not meet these standards.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said the Biden administration should not exclude some countries because it is the summit of the United States and not the Washington summit. According to Rodriguez, the US government is convening a “limited and exclusive summit” because it is “under intense sectoral pressure” and confirms that doing so is against its own interests, excluding Cuba from discussions on issues such as displacement. Receive”.

In the diplomatic conflict with Washington, Havana’s positions have been strengthened by the attitudes of many leaders in the region, beginning with the Mexican. Andres Manuel Lopez ObradorIt has expressed its full support for Cuba and called for “unity” between the United States to avoid exceptions, urging Washington to withdraw its veto policy.

“I still hope there will be a positive response for all of us to participate. I hope those who do not want to go are subject to their rights, but no one will be excluded,” Lopez Obrador said last week, reiterating that he would not attend the US summit if the countries left. Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrader.

Honduras’ new president, Siomara Castro, has said in similar words: “If all nations were not here, it would not be the summit of the United States,” Bolivian President Louis Ars promised, “a summit.” It will not be the full summit of the United States, except in the United States. He has already said: “If the exclusion of sister countries continues, I will not take part in it.”

Chilean Foreign Minister Antonio Urrezola said in an interview this weekend that the Chilean government’s Gabriel Boric expressed a similar position: “The past few years have shown that Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba are not exempt from human rights.” Newspaper Third On Sunday. “Everyone knows the president’s position [Gabriel Boric] The human rights situation in those countries and mine, “said Tariq al-Hashimi, the party’s secretary general. “We have been emphasizing bilateral talks and I hope this will be as broad a summit as possible, which is what the President wants,” he added.

The Caricom (Caribbean community) -creating nations, which had initially declared themselves in favor of boycotting if there were veto countries, are now discussing a common position after receiving pressure from Washington, which was confirmed by Belize Prime Minister John Brizeno. , Change of leader of this organization. “We said we would only participate if everyone was invited, but as everyone knows, Americans are under intense diplomatic pressure to join us,” Briseno said.

The Cuban foreign minister said it was a “surprise” if Joe Biden Stay away from the policy he put forward when he was vice president Barack Obama did not finally invite Cuba to the US Ninth Summit. The island last participated in the last two editions of the 2015 presidential meeting in Panama. The first meeting of historical significance Between Obama and then-Cuban President Raul Castro; And in April 2018, in Lima, at the invitation of Donald Trump, his biggest enemy.

According to Rodríguez, “the country hosting the summit in the United States has no right to impose arbitrary exemptions.” Excluding Cuba from the next US summit would create a severe historical setback compared to previous summits.

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