Latin America and Caribbean Sao Paolo Summit for “Rio Group”

The leaders of 33 countries located in the region of Latin America and Caribbean gathered together in the “Rio Group“ meeting taking place in the city of Sao Paolo of Brasil. While America was not among the participants of the Summit, Cuba made it’s first attendance. Subjects of integration between the countries of Latin America and Caribbean, economic development, global financial crisis, food shortage, conflict against climate change, etc. were discussed and strategies for increasing regional cooperation and integration were examined throughout the meeting.

Rio Group was established in 1986 so as to stop armed conflicts in the Central America. 33 leaders of Latin America and Caribbean countries discussed important political and economic matters, and particularly the matter of integration between Latin America and Caribbean countries, in the “Rio Group“ summit hosted by Brasil. The connotation of “Common fate“ was an important cue in the sense of changes that could take place in the region in coming years. Rio Group, such as the other regional organizations founded for different and local goals, is turning into a “continental organization“ which has a political and economic efficiency by changing its dimensions parallel to the changes of balance in the world.These leaders appealed to the new President of USA Barack Obama to “cancel the embargo for Cuba“ in the meeting. State Minister of Brasil stated that this embargo is pointless in political and economical terms. Hoping that Barack Obama would leave the impositions of the Bush governance, the leaders requested that the embargo of Washington on Cuba should be finalized.

The slogan of “For a Latin America independent from USA“ was dominant all throughout the meeting. While there was no representatives of America, Cuba that had been under the pressure of USA for not being accepted in these kind of organizations was present there. Cuba’s being officially attended to the Rio Group was determined in the meeting, and the Cuban Head of State Raul Castro pointed out that “Our being included in the Group shows that a new and more independent era is being started for Latin America“.

Mexican State Minister Felipe Calderon stated that: “I am sure that the presence of our Cuban brothers and sisters will empower the dialogue in Latin America. I have no doubt that this brother country will contribute to the projects that will designate our common fate.“

The Leader of Venezuela Hugo Chavez supported Cuba with his words as follows: “Cuba was being isolated before. Now we have come together and it is time for Cuba after 50 years. Long live Cuba, long live Fidel!“