Santo Domingo, DR—President Luis Abinader addressed the growing controversy surrounding the exclusion of Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba from the upcoming Summit of the Americas, set to take place in Punta Cana during the first week of December. During a radio interview on Friday, Abinader downplayed the situation, attributing the tensions to political and ideological divisions. He emphasized that such exclusions are not unprecedented and expressed hope for the summit’s success despite the absences of leaders from Mexico and Colombia, who withdrew in protest. Abinader reiterated the Dominican Republic’s commitment to dialogue, democracy, and human rights as the core principles of the summit. The decision to exclude the three nations, announced in September, mirrors the stance taken at the 2022 summit in Los Angeles, where they were labeled as dictatorial regimes. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Colombian President Gustavo Petro publicly criticized the exclusion, with Petro stating, ‘Dialogue does not begin with exclusions.’ Abinader responded to Sheinbaum’s remarks with a cryptic ‘No comments,’ while reaffirming the summit’s focus on fostering unity and cooperation among the majority of attending nations.
Abinader downplays controversy over exclusions and absences from the Summit of the Americas
