9th Summit of the Americas explained

Summit Name:9th Summit of the Americas
IX Cumbre de las Américas
Country:United States
Cities:Los Angeles
Date:June 6–10, 2022[1]
Follows:8th Summit of the Americas
Precedes:10th Summit of the Americas

The Ninth Summit of the Americas was an international conference held in Los Angeles, United States, from June 6 to 10, 2022.[2] The theme was "Building a Sustainable, Resilient, and Equitable Future".

Background

The White House announced in January 2022 that the City of Los Angeles would serve as host.[3] As host, the United States selects the site of the summit and its attendees. The United States did not invite Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua to the summit as these countries are accused of having undemocratically elected leaders.[4] It was known the US would not invite these leaders. The White House and State Department did not announce an official invitation list until May 30.

Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the President of Mexico, was the first to announce he would not attend the summit if all nations were not in attendance. López Obrador stated he would send his foreign secretary to the summit in his place.[5] Other leaders followed, such as Xiomara Castro, the President of Honduras; Luis Arce, the President of Bolivia; Nayib Bukele, the President of El Salvador; and Ralph Gonsalves, the Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.[6] [7] Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said they would not attend the summit if invited.[8]

The United States Department of State led efforts to galvanize support for the summit and keep other nations from not attending.[9] Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian A. Nichols stated the US will not invite countries that do not respect democracy.[10]

Alejandro Giammattei, the President of Guatemala, stated he would not attend the summit after the US criticized his government's reappointment of María Consuelo Porras as attorney general, who had been accused of undermining corruption investigations.[11] [12] [13] Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou had been scheduled to attend, but cancelled after testing positive for COVID-19.[14] Grenadian Prime Minister Keith Mitchell announced he would not attend due to the current election cycle in his country.[15] Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Bolivia, Uruguay, Grenada, and Saint Kitts and Nevis sent a delegation headed by their respective secretaries or ambassadors. Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines had no government delegation at the summit.[16]

Events

Monday June 6

Pre-Summit Civil Society Forum.

Tuesday June 7

Civil Society Forum, Young Americas Forum, CEO Summit of the Americas.

Wednesday June 8

Civil Society Forum, Young Americas Forum, CEO Summit of the Americas.[17]

The inaugural ceremony was held at the Peacock Theater in Downtown Los Angeles.[18] Music producer Emilio Estefan organized the musical performances. Performances by Alex Fernandez Jr., Sheila E. and music written for the event by Estefan himself. The song was sung by a teenage choir.[19] Welcome speeches were given by Mayor Eric Garcetti, California Governor Gavin Newsom and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Thursday June 9

Young Americas Forum, CEO Summit of the Americas, First plenary session.

After the first plenary session held at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Downtown Los Angeles, President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden held a dinner for world leaders and their spouses at the Getty Villa museum in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff hosted a dinner for foreign secretaries and their delegations at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). In attendance was the Los Angeles Latin diplomatic corps, the Los Angeles Consular Corps, California's two U.S. senators, a congressional delegation headed by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, California Governor Gavin Newsom and local county and city leaders.[20]

Friday June 10

Second and third plenary session.

Twenty countries signed on to the "Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection in the Americas".[21]

Delegation leaders

Antigua and BarbudaPrime Minister
ArgentinaPresident[22]
BahamasPrime Minister
BarbadosPrime Minister
BelizePrime Minister
Minister of Foreign Relations
BrazilPresident
CanadaPrime Minister
ChilePresident
ColombiaPresident
Costa RicaPresident
Cuba
DominicaPrime Minister
Dominican RepublicPresident
EcuadorPresident
El SalvadorMinister of Foreign Affairs
GrenadaNickolas SteeleMinister for Health and Social Security of Grenada
GuatemalaMinister of Foreign Affairs
GuyanaPresident
HaitiPrime Minister
HondurasEduardoEnrique ReinaMinister of Foreign Affairs of Honduras[23]
JamaicaPrime Minister
MexicoSecretary of Foreign Affairs[24]
Nicaragua
PanamaPresident
ParaguayPresident
PeruPresident
Saint Kitts and NevisAmbassador
Saint LuciaPrime Minister
[25]
SurinamePresident
Trinidad and TobagoPrime Minister
United StatesPresident
UruguayMinister of Foreign Relations[26]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: June 6–10, 2022 Los Angeles, CA . ixsummitamericas.org . 8 June 2022.
  2. News: Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela's Maduro government unlikely to be invited to regional summit -U.S. . Reuters . 27 April 2022 . Spetalnick . Matt.
  3. Web site: IX Summit of the Americas . U.S. Department of State.
  4. Web site: Cuba denounces expected Summit of the Americas snub by US . Bernal . Rafael . 29 April 2022 . The Hill.
  5. Web site: AMLO no estará en la Cumbre de las Américas porque "no se invita a todos los países . Gutiérrez . Ángela . 6 June 2022 . France 24.
  6. Web site: Ausencia de Xiomara Castro en Cumbre de las Américas podría marcar el inicio de una ruptura con EE.UU. . 4 June 2022 . Expediente Público.
  7. News: El canciller Mayta encabeza comitiva boliviana en la Cumbre de las Américas . El Comercio . 7 June 2022.
  8. Web site: Cuba says it won't attend Summit of the Americas in L.A. after Biden administration snub . Wilkinson . Tracy . . 26 May 2022 .
  9. News: Mexico's President threatens to skip Americas summit unless US invites every country . Suarez . Karol . Pozzebon . Stefano . . 10 May 2022 .
  10. Web site: Many nations say they won't go to the Summit of the Americas unless all are invited . Khan . Carrie . 24 May 2022 . NPR.org .
  11. Web site: Guatemala: Attorney General's Reappointment Threatens Rights . 19 May 2022 . Human Rights Watch.
  12. News: Salmon . Santana . 1 June 2022 . Vincent PM urges regional leaders to boycott Summit of the Americas . Caribbean National Weekly . 9 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220609010739/https://www.caribbeannationalweekly.com/caribbean-breaking-news-featured/vincent-pm-urges-regional-leaders-to-boycott-summit-of-the-americas/ . 9 June 2022 . live.
  13. News: Salmon . Santana . 31 May 2022 . Dr. Ralph Gonsalves says US President has no right to exclude anyone from Summit of Americas . Caribbean National Weekly . 9 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220609011047/https://www.caribbeannationalweekly.com/uncategorized/dr-ralph-gonsalves-says-us-president-has-no-right-to-exclude-anyone-from-summit-of-americas/ . 9 June 2022 . live .
  14. News: 6 June 2022 . Uruguay president says COVID-19 positive, will not attend U.S.-hosted Americas Summit . en . Reuters . 2022-06-09.
  15. Web site: Prime Minister Not Attending Summit of the Americas Because of Grenada's Election Time . WEE 93.3/9 FM Radio Grenada . 2022-06-07 . 2022-06-14.
  16. Web site: Who's Coming to the Summit of the Americas? . AS/COA . 2022-05-25 . 2022-06-14.
  17. Web site: Official Schedule - Summit of the Americas .
  18. Web site: Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles Features President Biden, Kamala Harris . Karlamangla . Soumya . . 2022-06-09 . 2022-06-14.
  19. Web site: Watch: Disney apologizes to couple after employee spoils their proposal . Moos . Jeanne . 9 June 2022 . CNN . 14 June 2022.
  20. Web site: Secretary Antony J. Blinken, Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and Los Angeles Museum of Art Director Michael Govan at a Summit of the Americas Reception for Foreign Ministers . 9 June 2022 . U.S. State Department.
  21. Web site: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees . UNHCR - UNHCR welcomes Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection in the Americas . Unhcr.org . 2022-06-10 . 2022-06-14.
  22. Web site: El presidente concluyó su agenda de trabajo en la IX Cumbre de las Américas. casarosada.gob.ar. 10 June 2022. 12 June 2022. es.
  23. Web site: Canciller Enrique Reina representara a Honduras . Laprensa . 8 June 2022 . 7 June 2022.
  24. Web site: Hooper . Kelly . Mexican president won't attend Summit of the Americas . Politico . 6 June 2022 . 6 June 2022.
  25. Web site: Clarke . Sherrylyn . 3 June 2022 . St Vincent to boycott Summit of the Americas . 2022-06-14 . www.nationnews.com . en-US.
  26. Web site: Canciller uruguayo viaja a EEUU para participar en la Cumbre de las Américas . Swissinfo . 9 June 2022 . 7 June 2022.