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A28 u.s. news
Dialuna 6 Juni 2022

Biden scrambles to avoid Americas Summit flop in Los Angeles

(AP) — When leaders guest list that Latin America cott. Former Senator Chris-
gather this week in Los is not a priority for the U.S. topher Dodd has also criss-
Angeles at the Summit of president. crossed the region as a special
the Americas, the focus is adviser for the summit, in the
likely to veer from com- The U.S. is hosting the sum- process convincing far right
mon policy changes — mit for the first time since its Brazilian President Jair Bol-
migration, climate change launch in 1994, in Miami, as sonaro, who was a staunch
and galloping inflation — part of an effort to galvanize ally of Trump but hasn't once
and instead shift to some- support for a free trade agree- spoken to Biden, to belatedly
thing Hollywood thrives ment stretching from Alaska confirm his attendance.
on: the drama of the red to Patagonia.
carpet. Ironically, the decision to ex-
But that goal was abandoned clude Cuba, Nicaragua and
With Mexican President more than 15 years ago amid Venezuela wasn't the whim
Andrés Manuel López Ob- a rise in leftist politics in the of the U.S. alone.
rador topping a list of lead- region. With China's influ- The region's governments
ers threatening to stay home ence expanding, most nations in 2001, in Quebec City, de-
to protest the U.S.' exclu- have come to expect — and clared that any break with
sion of authoritarian leaders need — less from Washing- democratic order is an "in-
from Cuba, Nicaragua and ton. surmountable obstacle" to
Venezuela, experts say the future participation in the
event could turn into a em- To bolster turnout and avert summit process.
barrassment for U.S. Presi- a flop, Biden and Vice Presi-
dent Joe Biden. Even some dent Kamala Harris have The governments of Cuba,
progressive Democrats have been working the phones in Nicaragua and Venezuela
criticized the administration the last two summits. vision for a "sustainable, re- recent days, speaking with aren't even active members
for bowing to pressure from silient, and equitable future" the leaders of Argentina and of the Washington-based Or-
exiles in the swing state of While the Biden administra- for the hemisphere, Castañe- Honduras, both of whom ganization of the American
Florida and barring commu- tion insists the president in da said it's clear from the last- initially expressed support States, which organizes the
nist Cuba, which attended Los Angeles will outline his minute wrangling over the for Mexico's proposed boy- summit.

3 dead, 11 wounded in Philadelphia shooting on busy street

By RON TODT each other, with both struck
Associated Press by gunfire and one killed,
PHILADELPHIA (AP) Outlaw said.
— Gunfire from several The two other people killed
shooters killed three peo- and a number of other shoot-
ple and wounded at least ing victims, who ranged from
11 others in a popular age 17 to 69, are believed to
Philadelphia entertain- have been innocent bystand-
ment district late Satur- ers, Outlaw said. She called it
day night, authorities said. “a dark day” for the city when
many people out enjoying a
Police officers were patrol- beautiful day were victims of
ling the area on South Street “horrendous and unthink-
in central Philadelphia at able acts ... in a very popular
about 11:30 p.m. Saturday local and tourist hangout.”
when they heard multiple “It’s important that we bring
shots. Racing to the scene, justice to the victims, their
they found several people families, and our communi-
with gunshot wounds lying ty,” she said.
on the sidewalk and in the Two handguns were recov-
street and began to render ered, including one with an
aid, Police Commissioner extended magazine, but Chief
Danielle Outlaw said. Inspector Frank Vanore said
Another responding officer investigators know from evi-
saw a man on a street corner dence at the scene that a total area along the Delaware Riv- ing.” battle” without measures to
firing a handgun into a large of five guns were involved. In er that separates Pennsylvania “Once again, we see lives address the “availability and
crowd about half a block addition, police are investi- from New Jersey. senselessly lost and those in- ease of access to firearms.”
away, Outlaw said. The of- gating several other shootings South Street is known for its jured in yet another horren- Eric Walsh, closing up the
ficer drew his weapon and before and afterward, one fa- entertainment venues and dous, brazen and despicable outdoor seating area of a bar
fired several times, and police tal, to see whether they might night life with multiple bars, act of gun violence,” he said along the block, told The
believe the man was struck be related. restaurants and businesses. in a statement Sunday morn- Philadelphia Inquirer that the
before he dropped his hand- Thomas Jefferson University Surveillance video from ing. “My heart is with the scene was “chaos.” He said he
gun onto the sidewalk and Hospital spokesperson Da- a local business posted by family, friends, loved ones saw a young woman collapse
fled, Outlaw said. mien Woods said 10 patients WTXF-TV showed scores of of those lost or injured, and to the ground on the corner.
Outlaw said the dead were a came to that particular hos- people milling about on the with everyone impacted by “People were coming off the
34-year-old man, a 27-year- pital; three dead, six in stable sidewalks and in the street, this terrible tragedy. “ street with blood splatters on
old woman and a 22-year-old condition and one who has then fleeing as the gunfire Kenney said the surge in gun white sneakers and skinned
man. Investigators believe since been discharged. broke out. Police were seek- violence in the city and across knees and skinned elbows,”
one of the three killed was Outlaw said police planned ing video surveillance footage the nation “makes me not just Walsh said. “We literally just
involved in “a physical alter- to bolster resources Sunday from businesses in the area. heartbroken, but angry.” He were balling up napkins and
cation” with another man, night in that area, as well as Mayor Jim Kenney called the said, however, fighting this wetting them and handing
and those two began firing at in the nearby Penn’s Landing shooting “beyond devastat- violence would be “an uphill them to people.”