The US Government, taking advantage of its status as host, excluded early a series of countries from the event, which sparked a broad debate and a genuine and spontaneous solidarity in the face of this discriminatory action.

As the Cuban Government reflected in a statement issued on Monday, the exclusions from the 9th Summit confirm that Washington uses these multilateral mechanisms as an instrument of its hegemonic system in the region, but cannot continue to treat the Latin American peoples as it did in the 20th century.

In the document, which had wide international repercussion, Havana thanked and respected the dignified, courageous and legitimate position adopted by several governments in defense of the participation of all, on equal terms.

The text especially recognizes the leadership by Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, and the clear and early attitude of the countries that make up the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the leaders of Honduras and Bolivia.

It adds that the position adopted by Argentina, as president pro tempore of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, expresses the majority opinion of the region, against a selective summit, as many South and Central America governments have expressed in public and private.

In the statement, Havana ratifies its support for the genuine efforts to promote integration based on the civilized coexistence, peace, respect for diversity and solidarity, and recalls its widely recognized endorsement of supporting and contributing to solve the region’s most pressing problems.

The Summit, which began on Monday, is scheduled to hold high-level sessions on Thursday and Friday, but there are still uncertainties on which representatives will attend.

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