Venezuela: LatAm, Caribbean Leaders Assess Economy

Venezuela: LatAm, Caribbean Leaders Assess EconomyCaracas, May 20. -Government ministers and other high-ranking officials of the region met Thursday to discuss strategic economic and trade issues leading up to the forthcoming creation of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in July.

The management of the economic crisis, integration experiences, the promotion of reforms in international institutions and the creation of a new regional financial architecture were at the center of the debates held at the Tamaco Intercontinental hotel.

The quest for fair trade among Latin Americans and Caribbeans under the concepts of complementariness and cooperation, typical of initiatives such as the Bank of the South and the Bolivarian Alliace for the Peoples of our America, is also part of the agenda.

The ministers of the region expect to reach a concensus on key issues contributing with specific economic strategies to the founding documents of CELAC, a continental bloc that excludes the United States and Canada.

CELAC will include 33 countries based on an agreement reached by the Rio Group at a summit meeting held in 2010 in Cancun, Mexico. (Prensa Latina)