Ibero-American Summit agrees to protect vunerable sectors facing the crisis

The Ibero-American leaders who met in Asunción today approved a declaration put in place to protect the “most vunerable sectors in times of crisis” creating policies which will be set on safeguarding social investment.

Likewise, a so-called Plan of Action was approved, which includes the decision to look over the cooperation strategy approved in 2007 and prepare a new one that takes into account the advances and changes since registered, hoping to finally keep boosting the “Ibero-American identity.”

A dozen Heads of State and Government of 22 countries of Ibero America (Latin America, Spain, Andorra and Portugal) took part in the summit, which took place amid the international economic-financial crisis moving eyes toward the possible effects in Latin America. Nonetheless, the summit’s official theme was “the transformation of State for development.”

The first meeting of presidents of the 21st Ibero-American Summit began in Asunción with a speech by Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo, in which he underscored that “in the current international situation, the new vision on the State is mandatory.”

The summit stood out, particularly due to the absence of Paraguay’s fellow Mercosur partner presidents: Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, her Brazilian counter part, Dilma Rousseff, and Uruguayan president José Mujica, for differing reasons.

Likewise, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, Cuban leader Raúl Castro and Costa Rican Head of State Laura Chinchilla and El Salvador president Mauricio Funes, and Nicaraguan counterpart Daniel Ortega and Honduran president Porfirio Lobo were also not taking part.