Ibero-American Summit: That's a Wrap

Over the weekend, the presidential envoys packed up and left El Salvador after the 18th Iberoamerican Summit there. As promised, I'm updating last week's mid-summit post. Sadly, there is little else to show for it.

Very little newsworthy items come out of this summit, and very little agreement was voiced in the individual speeches. Examples include:

• Ending the US embargo against Cuba


• Condemning capitalism as a failed economic model


• Ensuring cost-free access to primary and secondary education in all countries of the region

None of these ambitious ideas, however, are clearly reflected in the final "Declaration of El Salvador" (which, as it happens, I have been unable to find in full text online -- kudos to anyone who can post it...). This Univision news link summarizes the main items of the declaration.

Much of the news coverage of the event focused on negative aspects; empty speeches, protests and counter-youth summit held across the city, where youth leaders bemoaned the bluster of politicians that fail to take necessary actions.

It's hard to blame them; El Salvador is considered one of the most unsafe countries in the region to be a young person. Meanwhile, Dominican president Leonel Fernandez made a statement in his speech that "any country that dedicates less than 4% of it's GDP to education has a failed education system" - that same day in his home country, the minister of education told the press that he hoped that the budget for the coming year would dedicate 2.5%.

Minor ironies and gaffes aside, perhaps most newsworthy were the notable absences and late arrivals. While 22 heads of state were invited, three (those of Uruguay, Cuba, and Venezuela) were absent, while those of (Honduras, Bolivia, Argentina, Brazil) arrived late and/or left early. Also making headlines in El Salvador were the numerous women's groups protesting the summit because of Daniel Ortega's presence (after a nearly decade-long case, charges of sexual abuse of his stepdaugther were recently dropped in Nicaragua)

Sources: Listin Diario, Hoy, Prensa Grafica, Xinhua, AFP, IPSNews, Univision