- PRESS
ADVISORY -
Inter-American Dialogue Offers Obama
10-point pragmatic Agenda for Latin America &
Caribbean
Washington, DC: The Inter-American Dialogue—the highly regarded
Washington-based policy center—today released its recommendations for a new U.S. policy agenda in the Americas.
The Dialogue’s ten point agenda is designed to guide the Obama
administration through the most important challenges it is likely to
confront in Latin America and the Caribbean. It calls for a redirection of
U.S. policies to better align them with regional concerns and priorities.
The Dialogue emphasizes the highest priority challenge for the United
States and every other country in the Americas will be the slumping world
economy and its social and political fallout. Other issues – both
problems and opportunities – addressed in the report include the
deteriorating security conditions in Mexico and many other countries,
U.S.-Cuba relations, immigration reform, the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement,
Brazil’s growing regional and global influence, Venezuela’s hemispheric
role, and Haiti’s dire situation.
Despite modest improvement over the past two years, U.S. relations in the
hemisphere remain near their lowest point since the end of the Cold War.
The Dialogue reports that the election of President Barack Obama has opened
the way for another chance to build a constructive relationship with Latin
America and the Caribbean – but opportunities for change in U.S. policies
are constrained by limited resources and more urgent domestic and
international challenges. Moreover, after years of disappointment with the
United States, Latin American governments are distrustful of Washington and
ambivalent about the U.S. role in the region. Yet, the Dialogue concludes
that Latin America today may offer better conditions than ever for building
a long-term, robust partnership with the United States. The growing
assertiveness and independence of Latin America and the Caribbean, combined
with the declining ability of the United States to exert authority and
shape outcomes in the region, may provide the basis for healthier and more
cooperative ties.
The report reflects the views of the Dialogue's membership—which is led by
Ricardo Lagos and Carla A. Hills and includes Fernando Henrique Cardoso,
Enrique Iglesias, Billie Miller, Eduardo Stein, and Ernesto Zedillo. The
Dialogue’s 100 members come from the United States, Canada, and 20
countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. They are listed in the
report.
The Inter-American
Dialogue is supported by private foundations, international
organizations, governments, corporations and individual donors.
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