CELAC sets goal of eliminating extreme poverty in the region

Foto: Cancillería del Ecuador

The eradication of poverty in the region, the lifting of the economic blockade imposed by the United States to Cuba and the economic wars against countries like Venezuela were the main topics discussed yesterday at the Third Summit of the Community of Latin American and the Caribbean States (CELAC ), which is being held in Costa Rica.

The President of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, who will asume the pro tempore presidency, highlighted poverty as “the worst form of violence” and now, according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), 167 million of Latin Americans live in poverty, of whom 71 million are in the indigence, which he described as a form of violence.

“Let’s establish in this Summit measurable, verifiable targets. In five years, freeing Latin America and the Caribbean from the poverty, this goal is quite realistic,” the president said.

He also noted that it is urgent for the Latin American region to promote knowledge, science and technology, in order to achieve higher levels of development.

The President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, asked to “do more” to reduce inequality and poverty; while the President of Costa Rica, Luis Guillermo Solis, said that one of the biggest challenges is to ensure public policies that deepen the struggle in social and health areas.

Furthermore, the presidents yesterday condemned the economic blockade of the United States. The President of Cuba, Raul Castro, described as a “triumph” of his people the restoration of relations with the US and said that the country “has admitted the failure of its policy” towards the island.