Those of us who live in Havana have felt “a revolution” that has been assembled in the streets these days. There are traffic cops everywhere and on more than one occasion a few black cars pass us causing a stir that looks like something out of a thriller.
No wonder, Havana received these days 31 leaders of Latin American and Caribbean countries with their respective delegations, and the visit also Ban Ki -Moon, Secretary General of the UN and José Miguel Insulza, Secretary of the Organization of American States (OAS), first person flaunting this position, that visits the island since Cuba was expelled from this body in 1962.
Of the 33 countries that make up the organization, 31 were represented in Havana for their top leaders; Today the Second Summit of CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) wrapped up, an event that brought together almost all the presidents of the region, with the exception of El Salvador and Panama, whose President has said he does not attend due to differences with the Cuban government.
That the Summit takes place in Cuba , with such a significant presence of dignataries is no small thing for Latin America and the Caribbean, is a message that the countries within CELAC sent to the world. Also occurs when the Summit of the Americas promoted by the U.S. to be held precisely in Panama in 2015 and which Cuba has not yet been officially invited is planned, although the Secretary of the OAS, in an official visit to Havana , said that they would welcome its presence.
The leaders of the region have agreed that despite the differences between our countries, Latin America and the Caribbean must work to strengthen common positions that increase the weight of the region in the economic, political and cultural fields worldwide.
Much delay the true integration of Latin America has had and the people get tired of so many meetings, speeches and many photos of leaders who do not yield tangible results. However, we have seen sitting in the same room Presidents in an image unthinkable a few years ago .
We have heard in this context ” multilateral accords ” , “Common Interest “, ” Latin American and Caribbean citizens ,” “common social security”, ” value to our productions ,” ” education for development “, ” zone of peace ” . It is a fact, for example, that there are more than 7000 Cuban doctors, as part of an agreement that benefits both countries, in Brazil and the South American giant is the first trading partner of the Island in the building of the Container Terminal Mariel, with funding of more than 1 billion dollars.
Rarely have there been so many consensuses on the need to create a common front, as a valid and possible way to achieve a greater role in the global economy and the current political map of our planet.
All this happens while the baseball team of Villa Clara is ready to participate, after over 50 years of absence, in the Caribbean Series … something tells me it is all the hype and is formed on the streets of Havana with many Presidents forth not only mobilizes the forces of city traffic, there should be more than one attentive, concerned to see so many Latin American and Caribbean countries together.
Authors
Tahimi Arboleya,
tahimi-arboleya
