Ibero-American summit begins in the absence of leaders – DW – 11/15/2024

XXIX Ibero-American Summit This Thursday (11/14/2024) of Ecuador began with citizens’ protests and a meeting of foreign ministers, many arriving in Cuenca to replace presidents and heads of government, who preferred to attend other international events .

The summit was marked by the absence of most of the 22 heads of state and government convened. Only King Felipe VI of Spain attended the event; the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and the head of the government of Andorra, Javier Espot, while – in another unprecedented fact – the seats of three countries remained vacant: Mexico, Nicaragua and Venezuela, which maintain broken relations with Ecuador.

under the motto Innovation, Inclusion and SustainabilityThe Cuenca incident is a test for the government of Daniel Noboa, whose country is hosting the meeting for the first time, burdened by historic drought and electricity rationing to reduce criminal violence. For this reason, several hundred people – who were called by social sectors – gathered on an important street of that colonial city to protest in a self-proclaimed “anti-summit”.

Notable absence of Ibero-American Summit

One of the notable absentees is Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, whose country broke diplomatic ties and sued Ecuador after an April 2024 attack on its embassy in Quito to capture exiled former Vice President Jorge Glas. Similarly, the presence of Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro was also in doubt.

In the absence of other heads of state, Felipe VI has been the focus of the summit, which will return to Spain in 2026, given that – due to the crisis generated by the overflow – it was not represented by the government of President Pedro Sánchez.

This version of Ibero-American Summit It also overshadowed the celebration of other international events: the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC) in Peru and the G20 in Brazil. However, Ecuador’s Foreign Minister, Gabriela Sommerfeld, defended the event, calling it “a fundamental pillar to promote Ibero-American cooperation and monitor ongoing programs, initiatives and projects.”

AMA (AFP, EFE)