Latin American leaders discuss unity and poverty reduction

Latin American presidents are kicking off the two-day Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) summit in Costa Rica Wednesday.

CELAC is a coalition of the 33 Latin American and Caribbean nations, representing around 600 million people.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Bolivian President Evo Morales both issued statements leading up to their official trips to the Central American country.

Before leaving for the summit, Maduro said he will bring “the truth of the Bolivarian revolution.” During his remarks Venezuela’s president went on to discuss the legacy and influence of former Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez in the creation of the regional integration group.

Bolivia’s Morales emphasized the importance of the summit stating, “ We are going to address important issues such as integration in order to liberation our people of Latin America.”

During the event, Ecuador will be handed the presidency for 2015 and will push for major proposals in the area of poverty reduction and technological and scientific innovations, and increased social inclusion.

“The pro tempore presidency of the CELAC represents international recognition of both Ecuador and President Rafael Correa’s regional leadership,” Bruno Ayllon of Ecuador’s National Institute for Higher Education stated.

(From: Telesur)