Abinader downplays controversy over exclusions and absences from the Summit of the Americas

Santo Domingo, DR—President Luis Abinader downplayed the controversy over the exclusion of Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba, as well as the absence of the leaders of Mexico and Colombia, from the Summit of the Americas, which will be held the first week of December in Punta Cana.

During a radio interview on Friday, he stated that such situations “have always happened” and attributed the tensions to political and ideological factors.

” Unfortunately, politics and ideologies divide . We hope the summit’s foundation will be a success,” he said.

He added that he hopes “all countries” will attend, and assured that a “vast majority” will confirm their presence.

The president noted that “there have always been countries that have been excluded for various reasons,” but did not detail the specific reasons for marginalizing the three governments.

Abinader spoke about the topic during a brief interview on the radio program “Un lugar X.”

In September, the Dominican Republic, as host country, announced the exclusion of Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba, citing a “strictly multilateral” criterion amid “political polarization .”

The stance replicates that adopted at the 2022 edition in Los Angeles, where they were described as dictatorial regimes.

The decision has also prompted the withdrawal of at least two presidents: Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico and Gustavo Petro of Colombia, who would not participate in the meeting.

Both leaders publicly stated that they would not participate in the summit after learning of the decision to exclude those three countries.

“We don’t agree with excluding any country. We’ve never done that,” Sheinbaum said Monday at her regular press conference at the National Palace.

Later, Abinader responded: “I’m going to answer with the same words that President Claudia (said) when she was asked what she thought about the Nobel Peace Prize and she said: ‘No comments.'”

“What I do want to emphasize is that at the Summit of the Americas, the Dominican Republic is committed to the three Ds: dialogue, democracy, and human rights. That’s what it’s all about,” he explained.

On Wednesday, Petro wrote on his X account: “I will not attend the Summit of the Americas in the Dominican Republic. Dialogue does not begin with exclusions.”