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Latin American Presidents
Although Cuba has been excluded from the Summits of Americas, since the first one, in 1994, the meeting at Trinidad and Tobago will have to discuss cuban situation in the area.

Port-of-Spain, the beautiful and paradisiacal capital of Trinidad and Tobago will host two important meetings this week, the Summit of Americas, attended by leaders of the 34 countries in the region, but also a parallel Forum of Peoples.

The Summit of Americas will open on April 17, the same day as the beginning of the US-led invasion to Bay of Pigs, in 1961, and is scheduled to close on Sunday 19, precisely when Cubans will be celebrating the 48th anniversary of their victory.

But, the meeting in Port-of-Spain will not be just Cuba, because the region is not the same, and Washington no more can considered it as its “backyard”.

It is already known that Venezuela and Nicaragua will raise the demand to lift the US blockade against Cuba. Other Latin American leaders have stated the same will.

In Brazilia, Foreign Minister Celso Amorim, said Cuban exclusion from the Interamerican System is not normal and should be restored. Although he commented that there are no references to Cuba in the draft of the final statement for the V Summit.

Even Colombia, a country very close to the United States in the region, has noted that in Bogota are expecting improvements in Cuban-US relations since the meeting in Port-of-Spain.

Also group of 42 US Congresspersons published a letter suggesting 10 steps to be taken to achieve the end of the embargo after it was clear that the present policy is a failure.

Meanwhile, the Forum of the Peoples is scheduled to demand solutions to challenges by the global capitalist crisis, and one of its leaders remarked it is necessary to use the event to tell governments alternative forms of integration must be mobilized.

Delegates to the Forum are already arriving to the oil-rich Caribbean island and more than one thousand are expected to attend, from trade unions, students and other sectors organizations.

The Forum began this Wednesday 15 in the outskirts of Port-of-Spain and is also demanding the end of the US blockaded.

At present, according to US Rep. Barbara Lee (D. California), Chairwoman of the Black Caucus in the House, 68 percent of American citizens demand the end of travel restrictions and the embargo (as they called it in the United States).

The US blockade turned into a US law with the Helm-Burton Act in 1996, and even the Audit Office of the US administration reckoned that it is the largest set of rules against any country in the world.

These issues will have to be carefully examined by US President Barack Obama if he really wants an approach to Latin American countries during the V Summit of Americas and other tours in the region.

Jeff Davidow, Presidential Advisor for the Summit, declared that there is a clear and deep perception that South America considers the US has abandoned it and the meeting will be an opportunity to listen, exchange views and generate new ideas.

If Obama wants to be successful, he will have to hear also the demands about Cuba and not to be happy with measures taken to lift restrictions to Cuban Americans, but extend them to the whole blockade.

(CubaNow.net)

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