AMLO to Urge Biden to Rekindle U.S.-Cuba Relations
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, commonly known as AMLO, recently revealed plans to advocate for the U.S. to restart communications with Cuba.
This significant topic will be part of his discussions with U.S. President Joe Biden in an upcoming mid-November gathering in San Francisco, within the framework of a broader multilateral forum.
Takeaways from the Recent Latin American Migration Summit
AMLO’s announcement follows on the heels of a Latin American Migration Summit that concluded this past Sunday. Key outcomes from this gathering included:
- A joint statement rejecting “coercive measures” impacting migration.
- A pledge to honor the human right to migrate.
- A call for expanded legal migration pathways.
Countries like Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, and Venezuela were part of this summit, and they agreed to concentrate efforts on tackling the root causes of migration.
Highlights on Bilateral and Multilateral Commitments
In a media briefing, AMLO specifically emphasized:
- A mutual commitment among all participating nations to sustain existing dialogues, such as the one between the U.S. and Venezuela.
- A special focus on Cuba, where there is currently no such bilateral relationship. The summit participants agreed to advocate for reopening dialogue between the U.S. and Cuba, especially to address lingering issues such as the U.S. embargo on Cuba that has had a substantial impact on its citizens.
AMLO’s Upcoming Engagement with Biden
Mark your calendars for November 11-18, as the United States is set to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit. Being a member country, Mexico has received an invitation, providing AMLO with a direct opportunity to engage with President Biden on these issues.
The Mexican President’s statement underscores the need for open and constructive communication channels among nations across the Americas. It remains to be seen if the future meeting between AMLO and Biden will yield any notable progress in reigniting talks with Cuba.
