Hitting the Restart on U.S.-Latin America Ties
The U.S.-Cuba rapprochement means that leaders at the upcoming Summit of the Americas can focus less on regional tensions and more on issues such as trade, immigration, and security, says CFR’s Shannon K. O’Neil.
By experts and staff
- Published
Experts
![]()
By Shannon K. O'NeilSenior Vice President of Studies and Maurice R. Greenberg Chair
By
- Danielle Renwick
This year’s Summit of the Americas, held in Panama City on April 10–11, will be notable for the first-time participation of Cuba. The presence of both U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro amid their efforts to normalize relations could signal a new era in regional cooperation, says CFR Senior Fellow Shannon K. O’Neil. “One of the biggest irritants to U.S.-Latin America relations has been U.S.-Cuba policy. [The rapprochement] takes a lot of that animosity out of these potential relationships,” O’Neil says. The summit, convened by the Organization of American States (OAS), will likely center on economic issues as the region winds down from a commodities boom, but U.S. sanctions on Venezuelan officials are expected to be a source of tension, O’Neil says.
