The president of Uruguay,Luis Lacalle Pou, launched strong criticism this Tuesday at the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), and stated that among its membersThere are countries "that do not respect democracy or human rights".
By intervening in theVII Summit of Heads of State and Government of this interregional mechanism, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the president pointed out that the forum's declaration has 100 points, and in numbers 3 and 4 "it speaks of respect for democracy, human rights and care for institutions."
But "there are clearly countries here that do not respect institutions, democracy or human rights," he said in response to the host president's speech.Alberto Fernandez, who praised the totalitarian regimes of Nicaragua, Venezuela and Cuba, represented by Daniel Ortega, Nicolás Maduro and Miguel Díaz-Canel, respectively.
"Let's not have a hemiplegic vision according to the ideological profile," asked the Uruguayan, who warned that "for these forums to subsist, they cannot have the character of a club of ideological friends."
"Let's not let ourselves be carried away by ideological temptation," because it weakens the permanence of the mechanism, he assured.
Lacalle Pou urged his peers in this forum, which brings together 33 countries, to leave behind the big speeches that talk about concepts such as solidarity, "which are very nice but are often not put into practice" and move "to action."
"I have heard speeches that I totally share, others that I share half of, and others that I share almost nothing. But I understand that our nations have to bond" and generate "hope," he said.
He also called for the creation of a free trade area that links the member countries of CELAC, taking advantage of the fact that many of the economies represented are complementary.
"Isn't it time to open up these relations and for CELAC to promote a free trade zone (...) from Mexico to the south of South America? Can't we move forward in that direction?" he asked.
The president launched this call despite strong pressure from Mercosur towards Uruguay, after it announced the negotiation of a Free Trade Agreement with China that has put Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay on notice.
Lacalle Pou, one of the few center-right presidents to attend the Buenos Aires meeting, is remembered forface the president Miguel Díaz-Canel at the previous Summit in Mexico.
On that occasion the Uruguayan mentioned a fragment ofthe song "Homeland and Life", which bothered the Havana regime.
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