Thursday February 25, 2021
  • Venezuela
  • Mexico
  • Colombia
  • Chile
  • Brazil
  • Argentina
  • Podcast
Versión Español
PanAm Post
  • Home
  • Regions
    • South America
    • North America
    • Central America
    • Caribbean
  • Politics
  • Economics
  • Opinion
  • Podcast
  • Authors
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Regions
    • South America
    • North America
    • Central America
    • Caribbean
  • Politics
  • Economics
  • Opinion
  • Podcast
  • Authors
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
PanAm Post
No Result
View All Result

Home » What Rafael Correa Didn’t Say during His EU Appearance

What Rafael Correa Didn’t Say during His EU Appearance

Malgorzata Lange by Malgorzata Lange
June 15, 2015

Tags: CELACEU-CELAC Summithuman rightsrafael correa
0
0
SHARES
0
VIEWS
FacebookTwitterTelegramWhatsapp
Rafael Correa had time to defend the Venezuelan regime at the CELAC summit, but not to defend human rights. (European Council)
Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa had time to defend the Venezuelan regime with CELAC, but not human rights. (European Council)

EspañolI’ve been reading the European press, and I’ve barely come across any mention of Latin America. Europe prefers, as always, to concentrate on itself, on its closest friends and enemies — confined to its own backyard and stagnant. Meanwhile, Latin America is being transformed, moving away from the Old World, and “being conquered by its Asian partners,” receiving heavy levels of investment from China.

But while the European Union continues to be mired in internal problems, beset by the specter of disintegration and preoccupied by the situation in Ukraine, Brussels has under the radar been celebrating a summit with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC): “Shaping our common future: working for prosperous, cohesive, and sustainable societies for our citizens.” From June 1o-11, representatives of 61 nations from the two regions united to “strengthen links on the basis of common objectives.”

RelatedArticles

Three Signs That Elon Musk Has the World at His Fingertips

Trump Against Suppression of Human Rights

February 1, 2021
Three Key Moments to Remind Us That the UN Is a Nest of Oppressive Regimes

Three Key Moments to Remind Us That the UN Is a Nest of Oppressive Regimes

January 29, 2021

Summits are, in my opinion, expensive and pointless examples of “doing politics.” They’re spectacles of shallow appearances, cynicism, PR exercises, and posturing.

The two parties, beyond taking an endless amount of photos, spoke across the two days about an “incredible diversity of issues,” such as the intensification of interregional business under free-trade agreements, poverty eradication, climate change, and cooperation on education, science, and technology.

The EU-CELAC Summit, according to the co-president of the meeting, Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa, was designed to promote the “common values of both regions,” such as respect for international law, democracy, and recognition of the right to self-determination of peoples.

Those who were paying attention will have noted that Correa’s declaration didn’t include human rights, suggesting that “peoples” can trample over the rights of the individual. As a result, the task of finding common ground for a final agreement, from the European point of view, became impossible.

Summits usually end with a declaration of intentions and principles, usually of nothing more than symbolic importance. The declaration that the EU-CELAC Summit ended with only showed the European Union’s timidity in speaking out for its professed values, and revealed the firm friends of Chavismo on the other side of the Atlantic.

Although Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro didn’t participate, in his place he sent Vice President Jorge Arreaza, who was more than able to put forward the agenda from Caracas and divide the participants.

It’s striking that the adoption of any kind of criticism or punishment for Venezuela was rejected. Those who were concerned about the country’s deepening slide into authoritarianism failed to generate enough support.

As a result, the summit, which opened with the speech from the Ecuadorian leader, ended with a notorious silence on Venezuela’s political prisoners. Somewhat ironically, it did include criticism of the sanctions imposed on Chavista officials by the United States.

After reaching the final declaration, Correa — who was the most visible and most quoted individual — stood alongside the presidents of the European Council and the European Commission and said that meetings such as the summit “are very fruitful for influencing the global order.” For Venezuela’s political prisoners, and the region’s harassed free press, however, it will be a bitterly disappointing harvest.

Translated by Laurie Blair.

Tags: CELACEU-CELAC Summithuman rightsrafael correa
Previous Post

Catholic Church: Quarter of Argentineans in Poverty

Next Post

Brazil’s Supreme Court Strikes Down Ban on Unauthorized Biographies

Malgorzata Lange

Malgorzata Lange

Malgorzata Lange is a native of Poland who lives in Santiago de Chile. She holds degrees in political science and international Relations, and is a PhD candidate at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. She is also a radio panelist on international politics issues. Follow @MalgoLange.

Related Posts

Three Signs That Elon Musk Has the World at His Fingertips
Columnists

Trump Against Suppression of Human Rights

February 1, 2021
Three Key Moments to Remind Us That the UN Is a Nest of Oppressive Regimes
Analysis

Three Key Moments to Remind Us That the UN Is a Nest of Oppressive Regimes

January 29, 2021
Dollarization Advances in Venezuela with Debit Cards for Foreign Currency Accounts
Argentina

Argentina Drags Chile in its Bipolar Madness Over Venezuela

January 28, 2021
Dollarization Advances in Venezuela with Debit Cards for Foreign Currency Accounts
Analysis

Dollarization Advances in Venezuela with Debit Cards for Foreign Currency Accounts

January 28, 2021
Mexico, the Dilemma of Voting for a Comedian or an “Alleged” Rapist
Mexico

Mexico, the Dilemma of Voting for a Comedian or an “Alleged” Rapist

January 27, 2021
Maduro’s “Miracle Drops” Against COVID-19 Pass Twitter’s Filter
News

Maduro’s “Miracle Drops” Against COVID-19 Pass Twitter’s Filter

January 26, 2021
Next Post
Brazil’s Supreme Court Strikes Down Ban on Unauthorized Biographies

Brazil's Supreme Court Strikes Down Ban on Unauthorized Biographies

Discussion about this post

Subscribe free and never miss another breaking story

  • Venezuela
  • Mexico
  • Colombia
  • Chile
  • Brazil
  • Argentina
  • Podcast

© 2020 PanAm Post - Design & Develop by NEW DREAM GLOBAL CORP. - Privacy policy

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Regions
    • South America
    • North America
    • Central America
    • Caribbean
  • Politics
  • Economics
  • Opinion
  • Podcast
  • Authors
  • Contact

© 2020 PanAm Post - Design & Develop by NEW DREAM GLOBAL CORP. - Privacy policy

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Privacy and Cookie Policy.