Summit of the Americas- More Than Just a Handshake

The Summit of the Americas is making headlines this year for the historic meeting between US President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro, signaling thawing relations between the two nations after more than five decades of tensions. However, while the rebuilding of U.S.-Cuba relations is in the spotlight, much more has happened in the background of the Summit.

Let us first acknowledge the elephant in the room: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his awkward relations with Cuba and the United States. Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chavez, found a mentor in Fidel Castro, who ruled Cuba for more than four decades. Together, they built a very strong relationship between the two nations, both economically and politically, having signed more than 300 trade and economic agreements. Their close relationship served as the foundation for the coalition of Latin America’s Bolivarian leaders such as Bolivia’s Evo Morales, Ecuador’s Rafael Correa, and Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega. The power structure in Cuba and Venezuela has changed since, with Chavez dying of cancer in 2013, and Fidel Castro passing his presidency to younger brother Raul Castro. While Cuba is opening up to the U.S., Venezuela stands strong as it’s main opponent in Latin America, accusing the U.S. of being responsible for a swathe of problems, and of escalating tensions between the two nations after the Obama administration labeled Venezuela as a military threat. Thankfully, Maduro and Obama found time to meet privately at the Summit, hopefully easing their strained relations.

Maduro is not the only President accusing the United States of interfering with their nation. Bolivian President Morales was more upfront about his enmity with the US, labeling the nation as “patronizing” and “imperialist”. Recently, Morales denounced the U.S. decision to label Venezuela as a threat. Many Latin American leaders followed his example, including former Uruguayan President Jose Muijca, and Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman. Morales also took the opportunity to voice Bolivia’s maritime demand, prompting the Chilean representative, Chancellor Heraldo Muñoz, to respond that Chile “has no pending issue with Bolivia.”

One of the most covered topics in the Summit was the large wave of migration facing Central American countries. Central American countries like Guatemala and Honduras are facing long bouts of insecurity and economic stagnation, prompting many of its citizens to migrate through Mexico to the United States. Last year, around 35,000 families and 39,000 unaccompanied children migrated to the US, with similar numbers to be expected this year. Central American representatives took the opportunity to voice their concerns at the Summit, urging the United States, the United Nations and the Inter-American Development Bank to support a series of security and economic development projects.

The Summit of the Americas also made room for business discussions. Airplane manufacturer Boeing signed a $6.6 billion agreement with Panamanian Airline Copa, in which they will sell Copa Airlines sixty-one 737 Max 8 and 9 series airplanes, which will update Copa’s older 737 fleet. This was the biggest deal ever produced between a Panamanian and an American company.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was one of many businessmen invited to the Summit, and he had the opportunity to meet with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff. Rousseff is launching a new cyber-security program in Brazil called the “National Pact to Fight Violations of Human Rights on the Internet”, which is coordinated with the ministries of education, communications and justice. Facebook is among the companies teaming up with Rousseff on this program, as Facebook has the second largest user base in Brazil, with 83 million users. Facebook and Brazil have been working closely lately, with Facebook launching a new program in Heliopolis, Sao Paolo’s largest slum, last month.

This Summit of the Americas will be remembered for the first time participation of Cuba, and for the handshake between Obama and Castro. However, much has happened in this Summit, demonstrating Latin America’s position as a rising global force. Hopefully the next Summit of the Americas, which will be held in Lima, Peru in 2018, will show more fruits of Latin America’s potential.