In her first meeting of this kind, Bárcenas was asked by Prensa Latina and some other colleagues about the EU-CELAC Summit and Cuba too.

She claimed these two issues are among complexities of the meeting as it is so hard to bring the two parties into agreement, one as the EU with 27 states and the other one: Latin America and the Caribbean with 33.

She revealed that both sides have found points of agreement, we have a declaration that is still being negotiated, and I do believe it will be simplified because it is too long. There are some issues Europe is really interested in and Latin America and the Caribbean are not too convinced.

Bárcenas gave as an example the so-called Global Gateway, a European initiative in which CELAC member states would like to have more power to decide where European investments go and that it should not be only an European decision.

In fact, what is being negotiated right now is that a paragraph against US blockade might be included in the declaration, which is the traditional one negotiated at the United Nations and which everyone approves of and it can be included in the declaration. I do believe this is what will finally result in.

And, as you know, there have been important exchanges between Mexico and Cuba including medical exchanges, and this is one of our President’s top-priorities.

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