The Fourth CELAC Summit in Quito

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The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) held its fourth summit in Quito, Ecuador on January 27, 2016.  Established in Caracas in 2011 under the auspices of the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, CELAC promotes the integration and development of the 33 member countries, (and resistance against Yankee hegemony).  Indeed, Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa predicted, somewhat unconvincingly, that CELAC will become the primary regional forum for debate and replace the Organization of American States (OAS).  Latin American leaders (at least those who actually showed up) focused on the falling prices of raw materials that have hammered many of the economies in the region, the peace process in Colombia, and the Zika virus, among other issues.  Differences among the countries about how to address these topics, as well as a lack of consensus on how to deal with the growing roles played by China and the EU, demonstrated that the Gringos are not the source of all tension in the region.