Photo: Jesús García / Impremedia
Although the Administration of President Joe Biden decided to put them aside for not having democratic governments, but the countries of Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela were present for part of the opening ceremony of the IX Summit of the Americas.
The children who described the countries of the continent mentioned Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela, and even gave them a “welcome”, when their governments did not they were summoned.
“Cuba!” shouted one of the children when they talked about the countries. “Welcome people Venezuela!” , expressed a girl. “Welcome the people of Nicaragua”, said another. The minors were part of a video divided into several clips that spoke of the countries of the continent. That is, the governments of those nations were absent, but the territory and its people cannot be ignored.
“Democracy is a hallmark of our region. Our Inter-American Democratic Charter, which emerged from the Third Summit of the Americas, captures our unique commitment to democracy,” Biden recalled, which is why his government did not decide to invite the countries mentioned.
From the leaders of 35 nations that make up the Americas were 23 the leaders who attended an event full of symbolism, in an edition that proposes a coalition in favor of social and economic progress. President Biden highlighted it.
“When we invest in strengthening workers and the middle class, the poor have a ladder up, and those at the top do well . This is how we can increase opportunity and decrease persistent inequity,” he defended. “We need to break the cycle where marginalized communities are the most affected by disasters and have the fewest resources to recover from crises.”
The inclusion of the countries, of their symbols, in the summit seems to be an amendment by the Biden Administration, after criticism for not inviting them, initiated by the Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, and seconded by other leaders, including Xioamara Castro, from Honduras, whom the US supported during the elections of 1536.
The president of Chile, Gabriel Boric, who in Canada indicated that he would say at the summit that it was “a mistake” not to have invited those countries.
Even with this halo of division in the continent, the US maintained a theme that invited to unity. The President of Peru, Pedro Castillo, highlighted the agenda proposed by the Biden Administration.
“Today we face renewed challenges that have arisen due to the unprecedented situation caused by the effects of the COVID pandemic-19”, he explained. “For this reason, we welcome with great satisfaction that many of these concerns have been reflected in the topics rightly proposed by the United States as the host country.”
The president’s speech Biden again addressed migration as a problem to be faced and described undocumented immigration as “unacceptable”.
A woman was taken from the theater by security elements, since she began to scream when Biden was just beginning her speech, but she did not what she said was very well understood.
Before the president, the vice president Kamala Harris welcomed her to “her city of hers”, which she expressed pride in. Also taking the stage were Mayor Eric Garcetti and California Governor Gavin Newsom.
Music and circus
The start of the central musical program of the opening ceremony was in charge of Emilio Stefan. He started with “One World, One Prayer” and continued with a snippet of “Mi Tierra”.
“The land hurts, the land gives you”, resounded in the Microsoft Theater before the speeches by Presidents Castillo and Biden.
Then Jorge Celedón sang and danced “Esta vida”, followed by The Tenors and “Lean on Me”, accompanied by members of Cirque de Soleil and the US Navy band.
Alex Fernández made several presidents and their wives sing “El Rey”. “A stone on the road”, he invited the attendees to sing the son of Vicente Fernández. Several voices were heard. “With money and without money, I always do what I want,” Paraguayan President Mario Abdo Benítez was seen repeating.
Sheila E. Band sang “Come Together”, one more invitation to the unity of the Americas.
This Thursday the meetings begin to reach agreements on different matters: economic, immigration, health public and environment.
“Tonight let’s enjoy a wonderful celebration… And tomorrow, let’s get to work building the future that this region deserves,” Biden said before the core music program