Oct. 2 (UPI) — The Dominican Republic is preparing to welcome hemispheric leaders to the 10th Summit of the Americas on Dec. 4 to 5 in Punta Cana. But the Cuban, Nicaraguan and Venezuelan governments have been excluded.
The Dominican Foreign Ministry confirmed the decision in an official statement. The Caribbean nation holds the rotating presidency of the regional forum, and it invited 32 countries to participate.
According to Dominican officials, the exclusions were made because those three countries are not active members of the Organization of American States and did not participate in the previous summit. The measure is aimed at avoiding ideological tensions and ensuring effective participation by member states.
The event, convened by the Dominican government, will seek to build a common agenda on democracy, sustainable development and regional cooperation in a context marked by diplomatic exclusions and high-stakes political gestures.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez denounced the exclusion as a “decision imposed by the United States government” and said the summit “is doomed to fail.”
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said Cuba was willing to engage in a “respectful and constructive dialogue,” but argued that the exclusion reveals a policy of hemispheric coercion.
One of the most discussed moves has been Dominican President Luis Abinader’s push to invite U.S. President Donald Trump, whose attendance has not yet been confirmed. Trump’s participation could set the political tone of the summit and reshape regional priorities.
Key issues expected on the agenda include post-pandemic economic recovery, climate change with an emphasis on joint strategies to address natural disasters and energy transitions. Other issues at the meeting could include migration, the rise of authoritarian regimes and digital disinformation.
The Summit of the Americas is a multilateral forum that brings together heads of state and government from across the continent to debate and coordinate policies on democracy, human rights, trade, migration, the environment and security.
Since its first gathering in 1994, it has been led by the Organization of American States as an opportunity for hemispheric dialogue.
