Main Results of the Latin America and Caribbean- European Union Summit; Mexico’s Approach

This article is divided into four parts. In the first, the author highlights the importance of the European-Latin American Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on June 28 and 29 during which the new political context of relations between the European Union (EU) and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) was established, and the fact that some challenges to be overcome in the two regions’ complementing each other economically were identified. The second part refers to the Rio de Janeiro Summit as an opportunity to take advantage of the cultural similarities between the LAC and Europe for the purpose of transforming the two regions into real partners in development. In the third part, Icaza analyzes the reasons that have brought the EU and LAC closer together: common, convergent interests like the need to diversify connections with the exterior, reestablish balances and diminish the American influence on Latin America, among other things. The fourth part underlines the importance of the Summit for Mexico, as well as Mexico’s outstanding participation in developing the Summit as pro tempore Secretary of the Rio Group. Lastly, the author analyzes some of the commitments adopted in the European-Latin American Summit, such as to press toward free trade, establish better plans for cooperation in different settings, and actively encourage an economic situation in each of the two regions that complements the other.