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By Ignacio Bartesaghi
On July 16 and 17, the second meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the European Union and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac) took place held in Brussels, with Alta Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Following the meeting, the declaration entitled "Building bridges and strengthening our partnership to face global challenges" was approved
The ministerial meeting between the two regions takes place in an international context guided by the recent visit of Donald Trump to Brussels. NATO summit framework, controversial meetings with Theresa May and Putin, as well as the deepening of a trade war with China and tensions at the WTO.
Bilateral relations between Celac and the European Union face difficulties for the differences generated by the management of the political crisis in Venezuela. This reality led to the postponement of the Third Summit of Heads of State and Government, which should have taken place in 2017. The truth is that no body or political forum in the region with the sole exception of Mercosur ( which applied the democratic clause suspending in Venezuela), reached a consensus on the political and social crisis in this country, while the European Union is firmly positioned against the Maduro regime with their community organs respectively.
In fact, the OAS still can not show force on the situation in Venezuela, UNASUR is going through an unprecedented crisis with an outcome still unknown and Celac has not fulfilled the goals that it had been planned since its inception in 2010. Over the years, the Community of States has been unable to reach a basic agreement among its 33 members on issues critical to the political stability and economic development of the region. [19659006] The first Summit of Heads of State and Government between Celac and the European Union was held in 2013 in Santiago, Chile. This meeting was marked by the impacts of the European crisis, which heavily weighed on the stability of the euro and the economies of Greece, Italy and Spain. On this occasion, aspects related to the promotion of social and environmental quality investments in a perspective of sustainable development were discussed, subjects of very general scope with few specific commitments.
Although in 2017 the result of the referendum that confirmed the departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union was already available, the bloc went into political instabilities that generated a tidal flow. uncertainties until the electoral result in France is not known with the victory by Emmanuel Macron. In any case, the conditions for the withdrawal of the United Kingdom remain unknown, to which are added the impacts of the migration crisis and the scourges of terrorist attacks perpetrated on the European territory.
On the side of Latin America and the Caribbean the political situation has been aggravated by corruption plots, which led to the resignation and resignation of the presidents, the worsening of the crisis in Venezuela and, more recently, the complicated situation in Nicaragua. The regional contexts of each of the actors, added to the global uncertainty, are not motivated by an increase in commercial links, as beyond the renegotiation of the agreement between the European Union and the European Union. Mexico, other negotiations in progress They remain stagnant, especially those reported by the European bloc with Mercosur. In fact, in commercial and economic terms, bilateral relations have lost their strength over the past decade.
In this document, Foreign Ministers state that the relationship between the two actors is based on common values, mentioning the building of societies more democratic, cohesive and inclusive, highlighting the promotion and protection of human rights. Another part of the declaration reaffirms the commitment to continue to work for the promotion of democracy through free and fair elections, respect for the rule of law and the protection of all human rights. man and fundamental freedoms of people.
to describe the statement recently approved by foreign ministers, but it should not be said that she does not consider what is happening in the region. Venezuela is far from promoting democracy and respect for the rule of law or the protection of human rights, which is certainly not the case in Nicaragua. Beyond the two specific statements on the crises in Venezuela and Nicaragua signed by some members of Celac (10 and 13 respectively), it is at this height, not very serious, that in a statement they proclaim principles if away from reality. In short, if political organizations or forums that aim to raise and debate the main issues of the political and economic agenda of the region, they fail to reach basic agreements on such central issues as respect for human rights, the same they will quickly fall into discredit, losing their legitimacy once and for all.
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