Mexican president confirms absence from Summit of Americas in US

By Jorge Antonio Rocha

MEXICO CITY (AA) - Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced his decision not to attend the Summit of the Americas on Monday, sending Mexico's minister of Foreign Affairs on his behalf to the event in Los Angeles.

During his daily press conference, Lopez Obrador confirmed his absence at the global meeting, following his pledge on May 10 not to attend if the US government refrained from inviting all countries in the Americas region.

After days of waiting for the US to resolve whether countries such as Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela would be invited to the Summit, which started today, Lopez Obrador announced he was not participating in the summit, sending Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard in his representation.

"We can inform the people of Mexico that I will not be attending the Summit. Marcelo Ebrard will be representing the government and me. And I am not going to the Summit because not all the countries of the Americas are invited [....] There cannot be a Summit of the Americas if all the countries of the American continent do not participate," said Lopez Obrador.

Lopez Obrador said US President Joe Biden is not responsible for how things transpired, saying he is under great pressure, while praising him as a "good man," Mexico's leader blamed "extremist" Republicans and leaders of the Cuban community in the US.

"I have a very good relationship with President Biden. He is a good man. In this case, I feel that there is a lot of pressure from Republicans and especially from some leaders who have to do with the Cuban community in Florida in the United States. They have a lot of influence, but from my point of view, they are acting with hatred, and they do not want the brotherhood of the peoples," added the president.