Latin nations seek unity in regional summit

Leaders of more than 30 Latin American and Caribbean nations are meeting in Mexico from Monday to launch a group that will serve as an alternative to the Organization of American States.

The main difference between the OAS and the yet-to-be-named organization will be that the United States and Canada will not be members.

Leaders of Latin American countries have been meeting almost every year since 1986 when the Rio Group was created by countries including Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia and Venezuela. This year’s summit is intended to take the Rio Group to a new level by creating the organization.

Among the main topics to be discussed at the summit is whether to recognize Porfirio Lobo as the legitimate president of Honduras.

Lobo, who took office in late January, was elected under a de facto government that resulted from a coup in June against then-president Manuel Zelaya. The ousted leader was then forced out of the country.

Other topics on the agenda include the creation of a long-term plan to help Haiti recover from the devastating effects of the earthquake and Argentina’s conflict with Great Britain over oil drilling offshore from the Falkland Islands.

The Unity Summit of Latin America and the Caribbean will be held in Cancun.