Despite of the absence of some of the region's leaders, the U.S.-hosted summit can tackle issues, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken tells The Times.
Despite the absence of presidents from some of the region’s key countries, the U.S.-hosted Summit of the Americas, taking place in Los Angeles this week, can serve as a venue of delicate dialogue and incremental problem-solving, America’s top diplomat said Thursday.
Blinken noted that the U.S. had negotiations with Cuba earlier this year on immigration issues, and that the Biden administration had eased some of the restrictions imposed by former President Trump on travel, visas and remittances involving Cubans and U.S. citizens. But Cuban officials say most of those measures have been purely cosmetic with little practical effect in relieving the suffering of that country’s citizens.
The U.S. goal, Blinken said, is to boost watchdog organizations that advocate for journalist safety, and to pressure government leaders on the issue. “We see governments around the world using so-called legal tools to actually put free press out of business, especially independent media, for example, with lawsuits designed to make them go bankrupt,” Blinken said. “We put in place funds that journalists can draw on and media enterprises can draw on in order to be able to defend themselves against these kinds of prosecutions.
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