Link to article: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/bolivian-president-calls-global-debt-relief-poor-countries-2021-09-18/
Mexican President Andres Obrador called for Latin American and Caribbean countries to come together as a stronger bloc similar to the European Union. President Obrador gave the speech at a meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in Mexico City. Obrador stated that if CELAC were stronger, it could improve the region’s economy, inequalities, and healthcare crises. Obrador’s stated goal is to weaken the OAS, the Organization of American States, based in Washington, DC, which many Latin American countries dislike, partially because of OAS’ exclusion of Cuba.
Continuing on the summit’s criticism of the United States, Cuba’s Diaz-Canel called for the revocation of the U.S. embargo on Cuba. Attendees of the CELAC summit included presidents Castillo of Peru, Diaz-Canel of Cuba, and Maduro of Venezuela. However, CELAC countries are not quite in complete agreement with each other. President Luis Lacalle of Uruguay condemned authoritarian governments of CELAC, saying he is concerned about human rights and political freedom in some countries in the region, including Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Cuba.
Latin American and Caribbean countries appear to be focusing on forming organizations of countries with one another. For example, South American trade organization Mercosur is currently attempting to involve itself in a deal with Uruguay and China. President Obrador is likely looking at the success of the European Union and believes it would be strategic for his neighboring countries to form a similar IGO. If successful, Latin American and Caribbean states would have considerably more power on a global scale, meaning they could lessen their dependence on the United States. It appears as if the collection of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean would like to start cutting ties with the United States altogether. However, CELAC will not gain power close to that of the United Nations, as the United States would miss out on many economic opportunities and possibility for influence in policy to the United States’ south. Cuba criticized the U.S. embargo that the U.S. placed on Cuba, and the CELAC meeting as a whole, as described by President Obrador, was aimed at reducing the influence the OAS had on Latin American and Caribbean countries. This strategy might possibly strengthen relations of the neighboring countries, however, it could possibly cause tensions between authoritarian governments and Uruguay.
President Obrador is attempting to make CELAC, an IGO, a more powerful organization. CELAC appears to be a political and economic IGO, with the member-countries having the goal to coordinate economic and political stability in their occasionally tumultuous region. Additionally, this relates to International Economics as the countries are in the process of developing themselves to be more sustainable and improve the economic situation there. Finally, member countries of CELAC appear to desire more influence on a global scale, and are attempting to strengthen their IGO to do so.