OAS flag, consisting of all flags of countries in the hemisphere. File photo
The Foreign Minister of Panama, Erika Mouynes, stated that Panama hopes there will be a broad and inclusive meeting with all the countries of the American continents at the Summit of the Americas.
During an interview offered to EFE news agency, Mouynes advocated for the Summit of the Americas to continue the tradition of inviting high-level representatives from of all the countries of the continents, like the one that took place at the summit held in her country in 2015.
She recalled that when Panama was the venue for the summit, 35 countries participated, including Cuba, which attended this meeting for the first time.
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“Unprecedented and iconic meetings took place, that’s why Panama supports that these types of moments take place again,” Mouynes said.
In this regard, she mentioned the historic greetings exchanged between the former president of the United States (USA), Barack Obama, and his Cuban counterpart at that time, Raúl Castro.
Despite the possible exclusion of Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela from the next Summit of the Americas, Panama’s foreign minister clarified that Panama will attend, but she hopes that the rest of the countries of the continent will be summoned—a similar position to that expressed by Chile and Argentina.
“In the same way that we express a coherent belief that it is better to participate,” Mouynes said, “we are going to participate, and we hope that the rest of the countries do so and are invited.”
Her statement comes after the US announced that it has already issued the first batch of invitations to the summit, to be held in less than two weeks in Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, the president of Mexico, Andrés López Obrador, and the president of Bolivia, Luis Arce, have stated that they will not attend the summit if it excludes any country of the Americas. This position is also held by the 14-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM), according to a spokesperson for the group of countries.
Featured image: OAS flag, consisting of all flags of countries in the hemisphere. File photo.
(RedRadioVE) by Ana Perdigón
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SL
