Mexico City, Mexico — President Andrés Manuel López Obrador says he is not attending the Nineth Summit of the Americas. The Latin American meeting is set to take place this week in Los Angeles.
“I am not going to the Summit because not all the countries of the Americas are invited. I believe in the need to change the policy that has been imposed for centuries, exclusion, wanting to dominate for no reason, not respecting the sovereignty of countries,” AMLO said Monday.
During his Monday morning press conference, the president said he felt the meeting could not be held with only some members.
“I do not accept hegemonies from China, Russia, or the United States. All countries, no matter how small, are free and independent,” he remarked adding that the Government of Mexico will continue to maintain good relations with the President of the United States, Joe Biden.
“I am very sorry not to be able to meet with President Biden because I consider him a good man, but he is under a lot of pressure from republicans, extremists and some leaders of the Cuban community in the United States who have a lot of influence,” AMLO explained.
Instead, López Obrador announced that he will visit his counterpart in the White House in July to discuss the regularization of Mexicans in the United States, the migratory phenomenon in Central America and the integration of nations in the region with respect to their sovereignty.
“I want to deal with the issue of the integration of all of America because my approach is that just as the European Community was created and later became the European Union, we need to do it that way in America, but this is going to mean a change in politics.”
He reiterated the call to consolidate brotherhood and a good neighbor policy among the countries of the Americas instead of promoting confrontation and blockades.
“It suits us for our cultural relations, for our friendship, but also for our economic and commercial relations,” AMLO said.
Instead, Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Relations, Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon, will participate in the Summit.
