Justin Trudeau won’t say whether or not he supports President Joe Biden’s decision to exclude Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba from the Summit of the Americas this week in the United States.
“It is important that Canada fully participate in the Summit of the Americas, it is an opportunity for us to engage with our partners in the region — some with whom we agree, some with whom we have more differences” , explained the Prime Minister Monday at a press conference in Ottawa.
But he added that these countries all share a number of pressing issues, such as migration pressures, climate change and a full recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
These three issues are expected to be on the agenda for the week-long summit in Los Angeles. The prime minister was due to fly out later in the day on Tuesday.
On the way to California, however, Trudeau and Defense Minister Anita Anand will stop in Colorado Springs, Colo., for meetings with commanders and officials from Norad, the Joint Continental Aerospace Defense System, whose modernization is desired by the military.
Mr. Trudeau will also be accompanied by the Minister of the Environment, Steven Guilbeault, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, who is to meet with the American Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, and their Mexican counterpart, Marcelo Ebrard.
During a joint press conference with the new Chilean president, Gabriel Boric, Monday in Ottawa, Mr. Trudeau explained that “compared to Venezuela, Canada has long condemned the illegitimate regime of Nicolás Maduro, for its abuse human rights and democratic principles, but also for this extremely difficult migration crisis which is hitting very, very hard in South America”.
As for Cuba, Mr. Trudeau pleaded that “we have always been there to stand tall and strong to defend human rights, to push for more democracy, but we recognize that Canada has always had a different on Cuba than the United States”.
Mr. Boric was much more direct in condemning the “error” of the White House. “We must express in the United States and elsewhere that exclusion is not the right path,” said Mr. Boric on Monday. “When the United States decides to exclude certain countries from the summit, it actually reinforces the position that these other countries take at home. »
Biden’s decision to exclude the three countries prompted Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to confirm on Monday that he would not attend the Summit of the Americas.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Monday dismissed the idea that López Obrador’s decision to avoid the summit is a sign of declining American influence in the hemisphere.
“The United States remains the most powerful force in leading hemispheric action to address the key challenges facing the peoples of the Americas ― inequality, health, climate, and food security,” said Ms. Jean-Pierre.
“The president must stick to his principles. He thinks he should stick to his principles and not invite dictators, but we can always have a deep conversation – there’s a busy agenda, [le président] going to be very busy. »
New Democrat Leader Jagmeet Singh said on Tuesday that the three countries should not be prevented from having their voices heard at the summit simply because Mr Biden has “different political views”.
“The human rights concerns raised are always important to consider, but that is not a reason to deny these countries participation in a Summit of the Americas. I think it was the wrong decision,” Singh told reporters in Ottawa.
“I understand why the president of Mexico is protesting. Canada should also make it clear that it supports the participation of these three countries. »
Other priorities for the summit will include helping countries control the COVID-19 pandemic, forging new ties on climate and energy initiatives, tackling food insecurity, and leveraging existing trade agreements to better ensure that more people can enjoy it.