Latin and Caribbean Countries to Form New Bloc

At a summit on Saturday, Mexican President, Latin and Caribbean leaders came together to discuss forming a bloc similar to the European Union. This move could enable the region to fight off influence from the Organization of American States OAS.
Mexican President Andre Manuel Lopez Obrador hosted the summit where over a dozen prime ministers and presidents from neighboring countries were present.
He told all members during the opening ceremony that a newly formed and refurbished diplomatic organization could improve conditions for the public. He stated, “In these times, CELAC can become the principle instrument to consolidate relations between our Latin American and Caribbean nations. We should build in the American continent something similar to what was the economic community that was the beginning of the current European Union.”
His speech focused on the need to adhere to non-interventionist and that all countries must respect national sovereignty. The main aim of the summit was to discuss the OAS and weaken the organization. The summit highlighted the region’s center-left leaders including Peru’s president, Pedro Castillo, Venezuela’s president Nicolas Maduro and Cuba’s Miguel Diaz-Canel.
However, the summit revealed tensions among leaders in the region over the acceptance of authoritarian regimes in the region. Uruguay’s president Luis Lacelle stated, “We are worried and look gravely at what’s happening in Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela.” He expressed concern over how the public is suffering at the hands of repressive regimes. Cuba’s president did not hold back and took an aim Lacelle saying that his country’s neo liberal policies are hindering social progress.
Other leaders presented plans to help eliminate debt and also form a body to tackle growing climate change issues. It was announced that a new CELAC fund would be set up catered towards tackling natural disasters.


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