Advancing in the institutionalization of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) as a means to strengthen the regional integration process was the center of the debates at a seminar held this Thursday in Buenos Aires, with the participation of several Ibero-American presidents and former presidents.
Organized by the pro tempore presidency of Argentina in CELAC and the Development Bank of Latin America-CAF, the meeting explored how the mechanism for dialogue and political agreement created in 2010 can "empower" to respond to the problems and challenges shared by the 33 Latin American countries that comprise it.
"We must take advantage of peace and unity to achieve development and social justice"said the Argentine president, Alberto Fernández.
He pointed out that there "two countries blocked" on the continent -Cuba and Venezuela- and "that’s unforgivable".
"Let’s hope that the blockade ends soon and that Venezuelans live in democracy, choosing freely."he claimed.
For his part, the president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, said in a recorded message that continental integration, including the United States and Canada, is "complex" but "important".
"It would be exceptional to achieve the integration of all of America, just as the European Union emerged and was consolidated, why not something like that in all of America? We have to convince the rulers of Canada and the United States. It must change the obsolete policy of interventionism"he pointed.
INSTITUTIONALIZATION
When participating in the meeting, the former president of the Spanish Government José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero encouraged Alberto Fernández, in his role as current president of Celac, to make this "the great founding moment of the Latin American political union, whose ultimate horizon must be a Constitution for Latin America" to guarantee equality.
During the different panels that gave shape to the seminar, the participants discussed how to strengthen CELAC, providing it with technical support, its own financing and a more solid structure, and the way to achieve it, for example, through the convergence between the ten sub-regional integration organizations that already exist in Latin America, and through cooperation on issues of common interest and concrete benefits for citizens.
The possibility of modifying the decision-making system in CELAC, whose national coordinators met this Thursday morning in Buenos Aires, is also under debate.
"Until now we are a group of countries that meets, talks and analyzes, but does not make joint decisions, and it is time for us to do so"Fernandez said.
According to official sources confirmed to Efe, the meeting of coordinators this Thursday, which was held behind closed doors, was also to prepare the meeting of Celac foreign ministers to be held on October 26 in Argentina, one day before the meeting between foreign ministers of CELAC and the European Union that will also be held in the South American country.
SUPPORT FOR LULA
In the meeting, where also participated, among others, former presidents José "Pepe" Mujica, from Uruguay; Ernesto Samper, from Colombia, and Vinicio Cerezo, from Guatemala, also expressed support for former Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who will compete on October 2 in his country’s presidential elections, in which Jair Bolsonaro will seek re-election.
Rodríguez Zapatero argued that the "political unit" of Latin America can only be achieved "once Brazil votes and votes as we expect"alluding to a victory for Lula.
López Obrador pointed out that it is "respectful" of the principle of non-intervention and self-determination of peoples, but that it cannot "disguise" its "love and sympathy" by Lula, "who will be like a blessing for the people of Brazil".
Alberto Fernández said that he also wants "it goes very well for Lula".
