By Bala Chambers
BUENOS AIRES (AA) - Argentina's President Alberto Fernandez denounced "hatred and violence" Thursday at the opening plenary session of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the European Union (EU).
Fernandez spoke alongside Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero and top EU diplomat Josep Borrell in the nation’s capital of Buenos Aires.
"We have to get very tough with the violent and the hate-mongers," said Fernandez. His comments came in the wake of an assassination attempt on Vice President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner last month.
Fernandez also underscored the need for the region to respect democratic processes and advocated the need to strengthen ties with the EU.
The Peronist leader also denounced the unequal access to vaccines in the wake of the global coronavirus pandemic.
The president also touched on climate change, insisting "we are the ones who did the least to damage the global climate context, but when it comes to paying, we pay as if we were to blame."
Fernandez went on to discuss the role of "solidarity" in regional decision-making, adding that "Latin America is a zone of peace, here we solve conflicts by talking."
Borrell, who began his Latin America tour at the start of the week, touched on the "enormous turmoil" caused by the pandemic.
He described the South American continent as "one of the most affected regions," noting the negative effect on economic development.
"I am very afraid that we are heading
toward a global recession and that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 will be more difficult than it already was," said Borrell.
He urged measures to be upheld -- from furthering "political dialogue at the highest level," advancing trade agreements in the region and underscoring the role digital and economic development play in "cohesive societies" concerning fighting inequality and climate change.
Borrell also touched on the need to promote "peace, democracy and human rights," in what he called "this new geopolitical context."