“They are not going to invite me to the summit. In any case, I sent word that I’m not going to go.” President Alejandro Giammattei said last May 17 when referring to the Summit of the Americas to be held next June in Los Angeles, California; however, this Monday, May 23, the Presidency of Guatemala published that President Joe Biden did take the Guatemalan president into account.
The president’s statements came a day following appoint Consuelo Porras as attorney general for four more years, a fact that caused reactions from Washington, because the State Department included her on a list of “corrupt agents.”
“I told it and I repeat it to the ambassador of that nation (USA), that this country (Guatemala) might be of this size (small), but that as long as I was president, this country was respected and respects sovereignty,” the president said on that occasion during a public act.
However, in a message published in English and with the letter of invitation attached, the Secretary of Social Communication of the Presidency, Kevin López Oliva highlighted the reasons why Giammattei was invited to that event, from which they were already excluded.
“@POTUS invited @DrGiammattei to the IX Summit of the Americas, underscoring our shared democratic values that unite us and highlighting @GuatemalaGob’s commitment to economic prosperity, security, human rights, and the dignity of the peoples of the region. ”, says the message published by López Oliva.
there is no clarity
The Presidency was asked if following receiving the invitation to the Summit of the Americas the president’s opinion would remain the same if he did not attend and they responded that at the moment the official information is that which was placed in a statement.
“The President of the Republic Alejandro Giammattei was invited by his American counterpart Joe Biden to attend the Summit of the Americas, in recognition of the country’s democratic values,” says the statement published by the Government.
Add that “By means of a letter signed by the ruler of the United States of America, It is highlighted that the government is committed to the economic prosperity, security, human rights and dignity of the population, which motivated the convocation to said conclave”.
What does the letter say
The letter signed by Biden and addressed to Giammattei states that:
“It is a pleasure to invite you to Los Angeles, California, from June 8 to 10, 2022 for the Ninth Summit of the Americas, where the democratically elected Heads of State and Government of the hemisphere will advance our shared goal of Building a sustainable, resilient and equitable future for our hemisphere.”
He adds: “This convocation of the leaders of our region underscores what, as a region, unites us: our commitment to the economic prosperity, security, human rights and dignity of the peoples of the Western Hemisphere. Together, in Los Angeles, we will tackle our greatest challenges and opportunities, including with respect to climate change, health security, and equitable growth and recovery.”
The document adds that “I have entrusted former Senator Christopher Dodd and former Representative Debbie Mucarsel-Powell to be my special advisers for the Summit of the Americas and lead my efforts at the Summit. As we head into June, I look forward to hearing from my special advisors and team with additional details regarding the Summit.”
He concludes by saying that “I trust that this IX Summit of the Americas will be an opportunity to advance in the greatest challenges of our region and work together toward our shared goals. I look forward to your participation and welcoming you to the beautiful city of Los Angeles this June.”
