At the opening reception for the 39th Washington Conference on the Americas, the Council honored U.S. Representative Elliot Engel (D-NY) with the Chairman's Award for Leadership in the Americas. Read his remarks.
U.S. Policy
In this article for El Diario/La Prensa, AS/COA's Christopher Sabatini argues that, in the wake of the recent Summit of the Americas, concrete steps must be taken to capitalize on the good will created by the new administration’s fresh approach to its Latin neighbors. (en español | in English)
For all the talk about Cuba and Venezuela, leaders moved forward on other fronts as well during the weekend's Summit of the Americas. On the sidelines, U.S. President Barack Obama signaled action on a trade pact with Colombia and a hemispheric clean-energy partnership.
"The calculus is simple: if we can’t get it right with Mexico, our closest Latin neighbor both literally and figuratively, we’ll have trouble with the rest of our hemispheric agenda," writes COA's Eric Farnsworth in an article for Poder.
The forthcoming Summit of the Americas will be a chance for the United States to demonstrate its commitment to a common agenda in the Western Hemisphere, writes AS/COA's Christopher Sabatini. Yet concern remains that some leaders will use this spotlight to push their own agendas. (en español)
Days ahead of the Summit of the Americas, the White House eased Cuba restrictions, making it easier for Cuban Americans to travel to the island and send remittances to family members there. The changes also allow for more humanitarian aid and bids by U.S. telecommunication firms.
U.S. lawmakers have reintroduced the DREAM Act for the fifth time. The law, which offers a path to legalization for undocumented students, may win approval this round. Yet it remains unclear whether there will be short-term action on comprehensive immigration reform.