The President of the United States, Joe Biden, rejected the invitation that had been extended by President Alberto Fernández to attend the CELAC summit, next week in Buenos Aires, but
will send a trusted representative
to that meeting .
where leaders highly questioned by Washington, such as the Venezuelan Nicolás Maduro, could attend.
The ambassador in the US capital,
Jorge Argüello,
announced this Wednesday that the envoy to Buenos Aires will be former Senator
Christopher Dodd,
Biden's special advisor for the Americas.
He pointed out that this man, well known in the corridors of Washington, will lead a delegation made up of officials from the National Security Council and the State Department.
“Biden has appointed a very close associate of his, responsible for the White House policy for the Americas and a close friend,” Argüello told
Clarín.
"The unprecedented invitation of the Argentine president to the United States is an important step in the relationship between the US and the region."
The ambassador was the one who had extended Fernández's personal invitation to the US president weeks ago.
A head of the White House had never been summoned to participate in the CELAC meeting, highlighted Argüello.
From what has come out so far, Juan González, who is the White House special adviser for the region and someone who follows the day-to-day of the bilateral relationship and whom all Argentine politicians seek to visit when they come, will not be part of the delegation. to washington.
Although
Biden was expected to decline the invitation
due to the characteristics of the international forum and the possible attendees, the announcement comes after the United States expressed its discomfort Tuesday over the decision of the government of Alberto Fernández to activate an impeachment trial against the members. of the Supreme Court, after the ruling on co-participation in favor of the City.
He did it through a State Department spokesman, who in a consultation with
Clarín,
called for "respect for democratic institutions and the separation of powers" in Argentina.
From the Government they seek to tone down and say that this information was not officially transmitted.
However, those who know the mechanisms of communication in Washington know perfectly well that
the spokespersons of the State Department do not issue messages on or off without having been thoroughly checked.
Launched in 2011, CELAC is a forum that seeks dialogue among all the countries of the region and includes some whose leaders are
considered dictators by the United States, such as Cuba, Nicaragua or Venezuela.
Although Nicaraguan Daniel Ortega said he would not travel, Maduro and Cuban Díaz Canel have said they intend to attend.
Today chaired by President Fernández, the organization seeks to be an alternative voice to the OAS, which several countries consider too influenced by the United States.
Biden chose Dodd, a 78-year-old lawyer, son of a senator, and one of the longest-serving congressmen in the United States.
He was a representative from Connecticut from 1977 to 1981 and then a senator from 1981 to 2011. During his long tenure on Capitol Hill, he cultivated a friendship with Biden and was a man listened to during his vice presidency.
When he retired, Dodd went into consulting but was later appointed special adviser for the Americas by Biden, most notably for the organization of the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles last year, which had huge complications with the list of guests.
Dodd travels to Argentina on Sunday and will stay three days.
