It wasn’t until she had the temporary presidency of the Comunidad de Estados Latinoamericanos y del Caribe (Celac) before Costa Rica’s Laura Chinchilla made a call to the governors of Central and South America and the Caribbean to open more initiatives for a “civil society”.
The Chinchilla statement followed the official act of Cuba’s president, the 82 year old Raul Castro, handing the “pro tempore” presidency to Doña Laura, the first Costa Rican president to visit the island nation since the 1959 revolution.
The message delivered by the Presidenta, with only 99 days left in her mandate, was that the new president of Costa Rica will continue her vision and the CELAC committment to democracy and human rights in the region, two concepts that were not part of official discussions by the 31 leaders of the 33 member countries present at the two day summit.
Chinchilla’s speech began with thanks to Castro for his work in 2013, whom she called “querido anfitrión” (dear host).
In her speech in Havana, the Presidenta was careful to steer clear of any direct criticism of the Cuban regime.
Former president Oscar Arias restored diplomatic relations with Cuba in 2009.
Source: Prensa Latina, La Nacion
