Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 11 april 2018

Latin America takes Trump's forgoing of summit in stride

By FRANKLIN BRICENO and a rally in Caracas.
JOSHUA GOODMAN The Trump administration
LIMA, Peru (AP) — President is considering imposing an
Donald Trump's cancella- oil embargo on the OPEC
tion of his first visit to Latin nation, while Panama re-
America was met with a cently became the first
shrug Tuesday from re- Latin American nation to
gional counterparts, many pursue sanctions of its own
of whom dreaded shaking by blacklisting dozens of
hands with the American Venezuelan officials from
leader as he pushes for- doing business in the Cen-
ward with plans to build a tral American country. Sev-
wall along the U.S. border eral other governments
with Mexico and renegoti- are contemplating similar
ate trade deals. moves.
Trump canceled his plans But despite a shared com-
to travel to South America mitment to getting tough
later this week, choosing on Venezuela, most lead-
to stay in Washington to ers weren't looking forward
manage the U.S. response to welcoming Trump, Saba-
to an apparent chemical tini said.
weapons attack on civil- A regional survey by re-
ians in Syria. Instead, Vice spected Chilean pollster
President Mike Pence will Latinobarometro said Latin
lead the U.S. delegation to President Donald Trump, right, sitting next to Vice President Mike Pence, left, speaks in the Cabi- Americans last year viewed
the Summit of the Americas net Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, April 9, 2018, at the start of a meeting with Trump even more unfavor-
that kicks off Friday in Lima, military leaders. able than they did George
Peru, with leaders from Associated Press W. Bush or Cuban dictator
around the hemisphere, Fidel Castro in the year of
including a soon-to-step played down Trump's can- tor of Global Americans, pected to use the sum- his death. Whereas Presi-
down Raul Castro from cellation, saying he was a group promoting bet- mit to push for a stronger dent Barack Obama had
Cuba. disappointed but adding ter engagement in the re- response to what the U.S. an average rating of 7 out
The decision marks the first that Pence's substitution gion. "The question though considers the rise of dicta- of 10 after his first year in of-
time a U.S. president has was a sign the U.S. takes is what it means for U.S. torship in Venezuela. With fice, Trump ended his with
not attended the summit, the meetings seriously. Ar- leadership, not just now but the White House's sup- less than half that rating.
which President Bill Clinton gentina President Mauricio over the long term." port, Venezuelan President Trump's anti-immigrant rhet-
started in 1994 as a way to Macri, a longtime business Even some Republicans ex- Nicolas Maduro has been oric, strained relationships
assert American trade influ- acquaintance of Trump, pressed frustration. barred from the meeting with leaders like Mexico's
ence in the region. A stop didn't comment on the de- "I am disappointed that over his plans to hold a Enrique Pena Nieto and the
in Colombia — long Wash- cision at a joint news con- the president won't make presidential election that rolling back of the Obama
ington's staunchest ally in ference with visiting Span- it to Lima," Republican the opposition is boycot- administration's opening
the region — was scrapped ish Prime Minister Mariano Sen. Marco Rubio said at a ting and many foreign gov- to Cuba have all hurt U.S.
altogether. Rajoy. hearing to discuss the sum- ernments consider a sham. outreach at a time China,
The region seemed to be "The truth is, given the level mit. "It's rather symbolic of Maduro, who had been Russia and other nations
taking the decision in stride, of discourse on trade, im- the broader challenge we vowing to attend the sum- are gaining influence, U.S.
reflecting some of the un- migrants and intervention face in the region for the mit anyway, celebrated diplomats across the re-
ease generated by Trump's coming from this adminis- better part of the decade. Trump's cancellation, call- gion quietly acknowledge.
anti-immigrant rhetoric tration, not paying much Every time we say we want ing it further proof that the The decision to deploy U.S.
and growing economic attention to the region may to focus on the Western U.S. still views Latin America troops on the border with
self-confidence in a region be welcome by a number Hemisphere, something as Washington's backyard. Mexico and accusations
long resentful of Washing- of governments as they emerges in the Middle East "Donald Trump said he isn't that Central American mi-
ton's dominance. search for their own alter- or somewhere else that dis- going to Lima because he grants were carrying out
The summit's host, Peruvian natives," said Christopher tracts our attention." said he doesn't have time," rape have also aggravat-
President Martin Vizcarra, Sabatini, executive direc- Like Trump, Pence is ex- Maduro told supporters at ed feelings.q