Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador completed his first five-day tour across Central America and the Caribbean on Monday by paying a visit to Cuba and saying that it was important to establish EU-like close regional integration.
"We are finishing our trip across Central America and the Caribbean in Cuba. We confirm our commitment to continue searching for alternatives to lift the trade, economic and financial embargo imposed on the island by the United States. It is time for brotherhood and the beginning of a new stage among all the countries of Americas. We are standing for dialogue, respect for sovereignty and strengthening of the region," Lopez Obrador said on Telegram.
At a joint press conference with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, Lopez Obrador once again outlined his vision of the future for the American continent, a so-called "new coexistence" scheme, saying that the current two-century principle "for or against the US" has outdated.
"I understand that this is a complex issue that requires a new political and economic vision. The proposal is to establish something similar to the European Union, but linked to our history, our reality and our identity. In this sense, it is not excluded that the Organization of American States would be replaced by a truly autonomous body, ... by a mediator [that will act] at the request and consent of the parties to the conflict in matters of human rights and democracy," Lopez Obrador added.
During the visit, Mexico and Cuba signed an agreement on cooperation between health ministries, but the sides did not disclose the content of the document.
Lopez Obrador received one of the highest government awards in Cuba, the Order of Jose Marti, during his visit to the island nation.
From May 5-9, the Mexican president visited Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Belize and Cuba to conclude bilateral agreements on cooperation, to discuss the regional issue of migration and an integration project. He did not visit any other countries in the course of his three-year leadership before, except the United States. (ANI/Sputnik)
( With inputs from ANI )
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