The fifth Summit of the Americas will be held at Port of Spain in the island
of Trinidad and Tobago April 17 to 19, 2009.
This Summit of the Americas will be attended by President Barack Obama, and will
be his second major trip outside of the United States of America following his
trip to Europe for the G-20 and NATO Summits.
The theme of the Fifth Summit of the Americas is "Securing Our Citizens' Future
by Promoting Human Prosperity, Energy Security and Environmental
Sustainability". The Port of Spain summit will focus on developing feasible
solutions to the challenges facing the Hemisphere and delivering tangible and
measurable outcomes for all citizens.
Caribbean leaders and those of the Americas are expected to enlighten the
President as to the their unique circumstances within the hemisphere in which
they reside, and will be able to better understand the President's vision for
the region.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Tuesday that he is preparing plenty of
verbal "artillery" for his first encounter with President Barack Obama at an
upcoming summit.
"Our artillery is being prepared. There's going to be good artillery," Chavez
said during a televised Cabinet meeting.
"What will Mr. Obama come with? I don't know. We're going to see. We'll see what
the pitcher throws," Chavez said.
Chavez called the U.S. embargo against Cuba "absurd and stupid," saying he hopes
to see the new U.S. administration define its stance on the issue.
The socialist leader also called it wrong for Cuba to be excluded from the
Americas summit, saying that issue "has to be discussed."
Cuba was expelled from the OAS in 1962 after member nations said its communist
regime went against OAS principles.
The White House said that Vice President Joe Biden will travel to Chile and
Costa Rica between March 27-30 to consult with Latin leaders ahead of the
Trinidad summit.
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