Americas Summit: Joe Biden Hopeful Of Positive Outcome Despite Open Criticism

US President Joe Biden’s Americas summit with leaders from across the hemisphere is a carefully choreographed bid to show that democracy can work. Biden welcomed the leaders in Los Angeles for the summit but faced open criticism for being selective in inviting leaders.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Joe Biden was criticized for calling Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela autocrats
• Belize, the smallest nation in hemisphere, came in open criticism of Biden
• Biden met Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for the first time at the summit
• Biden is closing the summit on Friday

Why Was Joe Biden Criticized?

Joe Biden Criticized

Biden’s decision of excluding the leftist leaders of Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela on the grounds that they are autocrats didn’t go down well with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador who called for a boycott of the summit.

Argentina’s center-left president, Alberto Fernandez, said dialogue was the best way to promote democracy but criticized Biden for imposing a right of admission on member countries of the continent for being the host country of the summit.

But the hardest criticism was from Belize whose representatives told Biden that not inviting all countries was “inexcusable”. They further called the US pressure campaign against Cuba a “crime against humanity.”

Belize Prime Minister John Briceno even questioned whether the US President would follow through financially on lofty promises made at the summit.

Briceno said they know money wasn’t a problem as two countries of the hemisphere committed $55 billion to Ukraine in less than three months. He was referring to the US and Canada.

How Was Biden’s Meeting With Brazilian President?

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is called Tropical Trump because he was an … Read the rest

Imran Khan And Team Comprising Top Generals Reach US For July 22 Meeting

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan arrived in Washington but this time with Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar JavedBajwa and the director-general of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Faiz Hameed and Advisor to Prime Minister for Commerce Abdul Razzak Dawood.

This is the first time in history of Pakistan that a PM arrives with two top serving military generals for a bilateral meeting with US President.

Trump Khan meeting

Imran Khan landed in the US for a 3-day official visit with US President Donald Trump. The Trump Khan meeting would take place on July 22 and the two leaders are expected to discuss issues including Afghanistan and peace in South Asian region. Pakistan PM would outline his vision for “Naya Pakistan” during his various engagements in Washington.

Qamar JavedBajwa will meet US Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan, the new chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Mark Milley and other senior officials in the Pentagon.

Pak US relationship

The bilateral relationship of Pakistan and US took a plunge when Trump struck down USD 1.3 billion aid to Pakistan following the 14 February Pulwama attack on Indian territory. The US President categorically said that the aid would remain suspended until Pakistan takes concrete measures against terrorist groups working from its soil.

Hafiz Saeed arrested

Pakistan has three months to prove that action has been taken against terror organizations before FATF puts sanctions on it. The arrest of Hafiz Saeed is seen as a political drama to create a friendly environment to escape sanctions.

Source: https://bit.ly/2Z2tmB3

Read the rest