Biden stresses unity on ‘substantive issues’ at Summit of the Americas despite criticism


US President Joe Biden highlighted Thursday, June 9 “unity” that existed on “substantive issues” at the Summit of the Americas, after the leaders of Argentina and Belize criticized the exclusion of Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua from the event.

Despite disagreements over the list of participants, “on substantive issues what I heard was almost unity and uniformity”, said Joe Biden. The Democratic president notably pointed “almost total agreement” on topics such as managing immigration and tackling climate change, and called for further discussion of these issues before the summit ends on Friday.

Several leaders, in particular Mexican President Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador, boycotted the event, protesting against the exclusion – in the name of democracy – of Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua. Strong criticism was also leveled at the summit on Thursday by the President of Argentina and the President of Belize, the latter qualifying “inexcusable” the American decision.



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