President Ponders Latin American Integration Efforts

President Ponders Latin American Integration Efforts

Dominican President Leonel Fernández highlighted the historic efforts underway to achieve Latin American integration as well as participation in the search for solutions of common problems in the region, citing contributions made by the Contadora and Rio Groups. Notwithstanding, he recognized it is necessary to apply a common agenda that lays out the most urgent issues in order to overcome the levels of social and economic underdevelopment in the region.

Fernández, in Mexico to attend the Rio Group Summit, favors the creation of the Union of Latin American and Caribbean Countries, a proposal that will be debated at the Summit.

Interviewed in Mexico by several television networks including Televisa, Telesur and CNN in Spanish, President Fernández said it is necessary to examine application mechanisms for resolutions emitted by the Organization of American States (OAS) and the United Nations (UN) to sanction governments that rose to power through coup d’états.

Fernández, in Mexico to attend the Rio Group Summit, favors the creation of the Union of Latin American and Caribbean Countries, a proposal that will be debated at the Summit.

Along these lines, he stated that there are organizational challenges to be met along the road to achieving integration among the various governments and states represented at the Summit, according to the President’s Office of Information, Press and Publicity.

As an example the Dominican President cited such common problems as the economic crisis, the environment, science, education, technology, culture, research and energy saying that they all need to be dealt with from a perspective that allows for finding common paths leading to feasible solutions among each of the Latin American nations. He also pointed out the historic role assumed by the Contadora group in the region when it was formed in the 1980s, especially regarding agreement over and the reintegration of peace and democracy in Central America.

Fernández also cited the contribution of the Union of Southern Nations, ALBA (Bolivian Alliance for the Americas) and especially the Rio Group, all of which have encouraged the participation of Latin American countries in regional and sub-regional meetings where different issues have been discussed among groups with common goals oriented toward the institutional and democratic strengthening of the region. He also warned that any Latin American integration mechanism must analyze and take into consideration the already existing integrationist structures, such as the Association of Central American Countries, for example.

The President recognized that one of the main obstacles to integration is the population dispersion that has historically characterized the region. He predicted that Latin America cannot survive if it continues its path of demographic fragmentation.

President Fernández observed that Latin America has no articulated education system to confront the huge challenges it faces in the areas of science, research and the development of technology.

As an example, he pointed to the deficiencies of Latin American Universities in academics as well as research that place them at a disadvantage when compared to universities in the United States and Europe which have high level research units that contribute to, and are part of, their country’s comprehensive development.

Referring to the formation of the Union of Latin American and Caribbean Countries, the Dominican President said “it’s a good idea, just a little late in coming.”
Fernández reminded reporters that the first steps toward integration in Latin America were taken around the XIV century with the efforts and ideas of such leaders as José Martí, Simón Bolívar and Eugenio María de Hostos.

He said that following these experiences, they became familiar with the integration mechanisms of Europe.

In terms of the Rio Group, Fernández said it has played an important role in the integration process and in bringing Latin America closer as well as strengthening the region’s democratic systems.

He also pointed out the position assumed by the Dominican Republic following last year’s coup against then President Manuel Zelaya in Honduras.