Official Photo of the XXVIII Cumbre Iberoamericana. Image Credit: Luis Abinader, President of the Dominican Republic, Twitter.
XXVIII Ibero-American Summit

XXVIII Ibero-American Summit

Soledad Quartucci

XXVIII Ibero-American Summit

(Updated 3/27/2023 to include Videos of the Summit)

The XXVIII Ibero-American Summit seeks to advance political agreements and collaboration on a collective response to current challenges, including food security, the environment, digital access, climate change, migration, the economy and regional integration.

Santo Domingo.- President Luis Abinader advocated this Friday, at the opening ceremony of the twenty-eighth Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government, for more just and sustainable societies for all, with revitalized democracies, defense of freedoms, effective public policies and strengthened institutions to improve the lives of all its citizens.

Accompanied by First Lady Raquel Arbaje, the president led the inauguration ceremony of this summit at the Ozama Fortress, which was attended by, among others, the Ibero-American Secretary General, Andrés Allamand; the King of Spain, Felipe VI, as well as the presidents and heads of state of Argentina, Chile, Cuba, Ecuador, Honduras, Paraguay, Portugal, Uruguay, and the Governor of Puerto Rico.

Also present were Vice President Raquel Peña and the Administrative Minister of the Presidency, José Ignacio Paliza.

 

XXVIII Ibero-American Summit
XXVIII Cumbre Iberoamericana. Image Credit: Gobierno de la Republica Dominicana.

 

The summit serves as a stage to adopt instruments aimed at guaranteeing the development of the region through political agreement and cooperation among the 22 nations that comprise it and to provide a collective response to current challenges.

 

 

The Dominican president stated that democracy and freedom in the region are under debate,

“by an overwhelming polarization of the political debate and a growing dissatisfaction with the quality of democratic governance, a scenario in which extremist discourses and the threatening shadow of authoritarianism flourish.”

Regarding public policies and the strengthening of institutions, he added,

“It is urgent to rethink a fairer global financial system, which allows us to invest to create the bases for green, equitable and lasting economic development.”

For his part, the Ibero-American Secretary General, Andrés Allamand, expressed that the regional context in which this summit takes place mixes opportunities and challenges, citing in the first line, digital transformation as a channel to positively impact the functioning of the economy, learning and equal opportunities.

 

Felipe VI of Spain and Luis Abinader, President of the Dominican Republic meet for the XXVIII Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government. Image Credit: Luis Abinader, Twitter.

 

Together for a fair and sustainable Ibero-America

Under the motto “Together for a fair and sustainable Ibero-America,” this Saturday, March 25, will be the plenary session of the XXVIII Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government at the Convention Center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Dominican Republic will conclude its Pro Tempore Secretariat (SPT), which it has held since 2021, and will hand over the torch to Ecuador.

As part of the Summit, President Luis Abinader will lead the adoption of three documents:

  • The Critical Path of Inclusive and Sustainable Food Security in Ibero-America
  • The Ibero-American Environmental Charter
  • The Ibero-American Charter of Principles and Rights in Digital Environments

On March 22, 23 and 24, a series of collaborative meetings took place including: The meeting of national coordinators and cooperation managers; the meeting of Ibero-American ministers and foreign ministers, and the Ibero-American Business Meeting, among other activities.

Presidents begin to arrive to participate in the XXVIII Ibero-American Summit

Santo Domingo.- At noon last Friday, the leaders who will participate in the XXVIII Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government continued to arrive through the Las Américas International Airport. The Summit takes place in the country through Saturday March 25 in Santo Domingo and 22 Latin American nations are expected to be present.

 

XXVIII Ibero-American Summit

 

 

The first to arrive in the country on Friday was the president of Ecuador, Guillermo Alberto Lasso, who arrived accompanied by the nation’s first lady, María de Lourdes Alcívar, and was received by the Ecuadorian ambassador to the country, Santiago Martínez Espíndola.

Lasso plans to present his position in favor of the integration of all of Ibero-America and thus seek paths of prosperity for the peoples. For his part, the President of Paraguay said that Summit will strengthen ties and deepen cooperation.

 

XXVIII Ibero-American Summit
The head of state of the nation of Paraguay, Mario Abdo Benítez, together with the first lady, Silvana López Moreira to attend the XXVIII Ibero-American Summit. Image Credit: Dominican Republic Presidency.

 

Later, at 1:26 in the afternoon, the head of State of the nation of Paraguay, Mario Abdo Benítez, arrived in the country, together with the first lady, Silvana López Moreira, who was received by the ambassador of Paraguay in the country, Enrique Luis Insfrán, Aurelio Benítez and the international adviser at the Embassy of the Republic of Paraguay in the Dominican Republic, Thaireth Ramos.

Abdo Benítez assured that it is a very important moment to be able to discuss the integration processes.

“We come from the south. We have an economy and a potential that can help to complement the integration processes,” he pointed out.

 

Gobernador de Puerto Rico, Pierluisi, arrives at the Dominincan Republic to attend the XXVIII Ibero-American Summit. Image Credit: Dominican Republic Presidency.

 

Also, after 1:29 in the afternoon, the Governor of Puerto Rico, Pedro Pierluisi, arrived for his participation in the Summit, and was received by the Ambassador of the Dominican Republic in Puerto Rico, César Cedeño; the director of the airport department, Víctor Pichardo, and the vice minister of Consular and Immigration Affairs, Opinio Díaz.

 

President Alberto Fernández attended, together with the first lady, Fabiola Yañez, the opening ceremony of the XXVIII Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government, held at the Santo Domingo Fortress. Image Credit: Casa Rosada.

 

 

President Alberto Fernández attended, together with the first lady, Fabiola Yañez, the opening ceremony of the XXVIII Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government, held at the Santo Domingo Fortress. Image Credit: Casa Rosada.

 

At 3:10 in the afternoon, Alberto Fernández, president of Argentina, arrived in the country and was received by the ambassador of the South American nation, Nora Capello.

 

President Miguel Diaz Canel Bermudez and First Lady of Cuba, Lis Cuesta arrive in the Dominican Republic to attend the XXVIII Ibero-American Summit. Image Credit: Dominican Republic Presidency.

 

 

Miguel Mario Díaz, President of Cuba, also arrived and was received by Milagros Soto Agüero, Dimas Lima, David Díaz, Rafael Márquez, Ángel Marrero Garate, Luis Hernández, Misael Reyes, Elier Tellería, Daniel Menéndez, Manuel García.

 

 

Messages from Latin American leaders

Chile

“We are wrapping up the inauguration day of the XXVIII Cumbre Iberoamericana with Chiefs of State and Government. We continue working for a Latin America that advances united,” Gabriel Boric, president of Chile.

 

 

Honduras

“President Xiomara Castro is participating in the XXVIII Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State, which takes place in Santo Domingo, on March 24 and 25 of this year, under the motto “Together for a fair and sustainable Ibero-America,” Cancilleria Honduras. 

 

 

Colombia

President Gustavo Petro arrives in Santo Domingo to attend the XXVIII  Cumbre Iberoamericana.

 

 

Bolivia

“In the Dominican Republic, we participated in the inauguration of the XXVIII Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government @CumbreIberoA, where the path will be traced to make that “fair and sustainable Latin America” that we dream of come true,” Luis Arce, President of Bolivia. 

 

 

Venezuela

“Venezuela is present at the Summit. We bring a message from president Nicolas Madura for the unity of Latin America and the Great Caribbean for the benefit of our peoples,” Yvan Gil, Foreign Affairs, Venezuela.

 

 

Three Initiatives

The Presidents will adopt three initiatives aimed at protecting the environment, guaranteeing the right to food and fundamental rights in digital environments, outlined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dominican Republic.

The ministers of Foreign Affairs of Ibero-America prepared last Friday the documents with the agreements that the heads of state and government will address during the XXVIII Ibero-American Summit to be held this Saturday 25 March at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic.

Dominican Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez explained that the documents include a proposal for a “Critical Path for Food Security, Inclusive and Sustainable in Ibero-America,” the “Ibero-American Environmental Charter,” which helps protect our habitat and oceans; and the “Ibero-American Charter of Principles and Rights in Digital Environments,” to guarantee the exercise of fundamental rights within the framework of digital transformation.

“For the Government and the Dominican people, having coordinated the work of the Pro-Tempore Secretariat up to this Summit has been a valuable opportunity that has enriched our experience, the multilateral exercise and diplomatic relations among our Ibero-American countries, which reflects the deliverable results, in the issues and agenda that we have developed,” highlighted the Dominican Minister of Foreign Affairs, Roberto Álvarez.

In addition to these documents, the “III Four-Year Action Plan for Ibero-American Cooperation (III PACCI 2023-2026)” was approved, prepared by the Cooperation Officers of the countries of the Ibero-American Conference, which establishes the guidelines to promote compliance with the “Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda” of the United Nations.

Regarding the contribution of the preparatory activities for the Summit, Foreign Minister Álvarez highlighted that the Pro-Tempore Secretariat organized 13 ministerial meetings and forums on essential issues for the region, in which specific commitments included in the sectoral ministerial declarations were established and will be reflected in the Declaration of Santo Domingo.

The Ibero-American Secretary General, Andrés Allamand, considered that “the Ibero-American Community demonstrates at the Santo Domingo Summit its full validity and capacity to generate agreements through consensus, propose responses to global problems and manage a useful cooperation system, as well as forge alliances that allow us to join forces.”

 

World leaders meet at the XXVIII Ibero-American Summit. Image Credit: Dominican Republic Presidency.

 

The XXVIII Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State is a crucial event due to its agenda -which will cover the fight against climate change, migration, the economy and regional integration.

The Vice President of Panama, José Gabriel Carrizo, is expected to travel this Saturday to Santo Domingo to participate in the Summit. On behalf of Guatemala, the Minister of Foreign Relations, Mario Búcaro, will represent the country on behalf of the President of the Republic, Dr. Alejandro Giammattei. Peru will be represented by Chancellor Gervasi.

Brazil and Mexico will not be represented by their presidents. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who took office less than three months ago had already scheduled a visit to China; however was unable to attend due to illness. He will be represented in the Dominican Republic by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mauro Vieira, who intends to reaffirm Brazil’s commitment to a new impulse from the Union of South American Nations (Unasur), thus joining Argentina’s recent proposal.

Nor will Andrés Manuel López Obrador or the chancellor, Marcelo Ebrard, be in attendance. The Mexican delegation will be headed by an undersecretary, Maximiliano Reyes, in charge of the department for Latin America and the Caribbean.

El Salvador is expected to be represented by Vice President, Félix Ulloa.

Inauguration of the XXVIII Summit

The presidents and vice presidents, who have been arriving in the country through Las Américas International Airport since last Wednesday, March 22, will participate in the XXVIII Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government, whose opening ceremony took place on Friday after five in the afternoon at the Ozama Fortress in the Colonial City.

For Saturday, March 25, the plenary sessions of the Ibero-American Summit are scheduled at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIREX).

 

Watch the Cumbre, Session 1:

 

 

Watch the Cumbre, Session II

 

 

Dr. Soledad Quartucci | Founder

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