President Fernández Examines President Obama’s Policy Towards Latin America

President Leonel Fernández formed part of the panel “The Obama Administration’s Latin American Policy Agenda,” organized by Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE) on March 16, 2009 at FUNGLODE Headquarters in Santo Domingo. Other panelists included Michael Shifter from the Inter-American
Dialogue and Erika Ruiz Sandoval, Director of the Spanish Language Edition of Foreign Affairs Magazine.

Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE) organized the panel discussion “The Obama Administration’s Latin American Policy Agenda,” March 16, 2009 at FUNGLODE Headquarters in Santo Domingo. The panel was comprised of President Leonel Fernández;
Michael Shifter, Vice President of Policy at Inter-American Dialogue; and Erika Ruíz Sandoval, Director of Foreign Affairs Latinoamérica. The panel was moderated by former Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to the White House, Flavio Darío Espinal.

During the discussion, the Dominican President affirmed that the Obama Administration has already made advancements in terms of strengthening US-Latin American relations, citing three
examples: the decision to close the prison in Guantanamo, Cuba, the recognition of the referendum triumph of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela (1), and the decision to not intervene in the recent electoral process in El Salvador (2), which resulted in the election of the leftist politician, Mauricio Funes. He argued that these three policy decisions on the part of the Obama administration reflect an important shift in attitude on the part of the US government.

Panelists agreed
that the current economic crisis would impose limitations on the new administration, as it relates to prioritizing foreign policy.

Michael Shifter, Vice President of Policy at Inter-American Dialogue and Professor of Latin American Studies and Director of the Andes Program at Georgetown University, stated he believed we would see an open attitude on the part of the Obama Administration toward Latin America despite its inability to resolve all problems immediately due to
domestic concerns.

Shifter conveyed, that in terms of immigration policy, the new US president will not likely adopt many new policies towards Latin America due to the internal crisis the country is confronting.

Shifter believes that the international treaties – which the US had not signed with Latin countries and which points of controversy during the campaign – will eventually be signed and ratified under the new administration. He added
that it is important for the United States to send a message to Latin America guaranteeing that it intends to be a reliable partner and to fulfill the agreements that it signs.

Shifter referred to the upcoming V Summit of the Americas scheduled for April 17-19, in which President Obama will participate along with other leaders from Latin America. The main topics of the Summit are security and drug trafficking.  

Referencing the words
of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Shifter stated that the best thing Obama can do for Latin America is to “put his own house in order.”

Shifter added that it is up to Latin Americans to take advantage of international forums to make their collective voice heard.  He mentioned the G20 summit in London as well as the approaching Summit of the Americas.

Erika Ruíz Sandoval, Director of
Foreign Affairs Latinoamérica and Professor of International Affairs at Instituto Techológico Autónomo de México asserted that Latin America must change its attitude toward the United States and stop waiting and expecting the US to resolve the challenges fa