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Cuba joins Rio Group
CUBA, November 14, 2008. THE 27th Ministerial Meeting of the Permanent Mechanism for Consultation and Political Coordination (Río Group) has taken place in Zacatecas, Mexico, during which the foreign ministers agreed in a communiqué that they will consider Cuba a full member of the group from today. According to that document, the members are convinced that the inclusion of Cuba "…will be a central element in strengthening the Río Group and will enrich its diverse and plural nature and project its pronouncements with renewed authority." That refers to the natural inclusion of Cuba in a mechanism that genuinely belongs to Latin America and the Caribbean, with no extra-regional presence, and constitutes another symbol of changes taking place on the continent and the failure of the U.S. policy – now a solitary one – of isolating Cuba. Over the last few years and at diverse events, numerous member countries of the Río Group have reiterated their willingness for Cuba to join the group. They insisted on the idea that Cuba’s membership was required and necessary in order to compensate for its absence during earlier times, and thus completing the Group – as a Latin American and Caribbean organization – in its inclusive and representative projection throughout the region. The Río Group was founded in December 1986, derived from the Accountancy Group and Support Group, related to the search for peace in Central America. It has held 20 summits and has opened up it membership on four occasions to all of the Latin American and the majority of the Caribbean nations, with the exception of Cuba. (Cubaminrex- Granma Internacional) |