A Latin America game plan
By
Abraham F. Lowenthal Read Spanish Version
From
The Boston Globe
President
Obama’s visit to Mexico and then his participation later this month
in the Fifth Summit of the Americas in Port of Spain, Trinidad, will
be his first visit to Latin America, not only as president but ever.
That he is making the trip during his first 100 days in office is an
important statement to the region, especially given the economic
crisis that rightly consumes his administration.
The
summit offers the president an exceptional opportunity to improve the
substance of US-Latin American relations. It comes at a crucial time
for our nation, with so many challenges at home and abroad, but it
also comes at an opportune time. Latin American leaders are eager to
meet and be associated with Obama, whose remarkable popular appeal is
evident in the region, as it is in many parts of the world.
Obama
can make excellent use of this opportunity, if he takes some steps
before the summit, keeps a few key points in mind, and uses the
meeting as much to listen as to speak. Here are seven recommendations
for the president:
Solidify
our representation in the region.
Follow through on your campaign commitment to appoint a special envoy
for the Americas. Be sure that the person chosen is one of recognized
stature and that he or she has your personal confidence. Resist the
pressure to name someone for mainly domestic political reasons. At
the same time, retain Thomas Shannon, the assistant secretary of
state for Western Hemisphere affairs, an experienced career Foreign
Service officer with valuable knowledge and relationships.
Address
Cuba beforehand. Announce,
before you leave for the summit, that your administration aims for an
end to 50 years of mutual hostility with Cuba. Do not limit change in
Cuba policy to relaxing the restrictions on travel and remittances by
Cuban-Americans, but transform the US goal from regime change to
expanded cooperation on shared concerns (such as narcotics,
migration, and environmental pollution) without abandoning the US
commitment to human rights.
Make
clear your overall approach to the region.
Emphasize in Trinidad that the United States fully recognizes the
great diversity in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as the
shared commitment to effective democratic governance, and that all
face common challenges: the economic downturn and unemployment rates,
the need for secure and renewable energy, citizen insecurity,
reducing the harm caused by the narcotics trade, combating social
inequities, and improving education to help individuals achieve their
potential and countries to be competitive.
Acknowledge
that government institutions, in the United States as well as Latin
America, need to become more competent, more effective, and more
accountable to deal with broad societal issues such as poverty,
crime, and competitiveness. Recognize the increasing demographic,
economic, cultural, and political interdependence of the United
States with its closest neighbors: Mexico and the countries of
Central America and the Caribbean.
Address
Brazil specifically.
It is the fifth-largest nation in the world — by both land mass and
population — and it deserves special attention. Without excessive
rhetoric, make it evident that your administration seeks broad
strategic cooperation with Brazil on energy security, regional
stability, protecting the environment and public health, liberalizing
and expanding international trade, and strengthening global
governance.
Avoid
confrontation.
In the spirit of "no drama," avoid confrontation and
finger-pointing with Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez or any of his friends
in Central and South America. Seek ways to work directly with each
country, when possible through multilateral modes, on specific issues
of shared concern.
Avoid
promising too much.
Do not pledge that the United States will pay much more attention to
Latin America. Show, instead, that your administration will improve
the quality of attention devoted to the Americas: by changing
mind-sets, understanding and respecting distinct perspectives, and
focusing on opportunities for cooperation.
Above
all, listen. That
respect will help build confianza, the essential trust on which
Western Hemispheric cooperation will ultimately depend.
Abraham
F. Lowenthal is professor of international relations at the
University of Southern California and a nonresident senior fellow of
the Brookings Institution.
