The Legacy of the Summit

The Summit had a lot of good and some not so good results.

Generally speaking, Colombia as the host country projected a positive image of a thriving, developing country engaged in a peace-making process, with friendly and hardworking people. As regards the summit itself, Colombia as the host country experienced problems that left a sour aftertaste. Despite the fact that relations with neighboring countries are good, relations with ALBA-member countries (Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas), who tried to sabotage the summit, mostly deteriorated. The problem of the cancellation of the bilateral meetings with Brazil is a complex one, perhaps due to issues with the agenda? Or perhaps President Rousseff took offense at Colombia choosing the United States as its principal business partner and ally; it is also true that Colombia was the victim of tension between these two continental rivals. The reality, however, is that our country needs Brazil as well. The outcome of crucial issues like the Malvinas Islands, Cuba and the drug debate was mixed. When all’s said and done, you can’t please everyone.

From a business angle, the Business Summit was a success whose conclusion with the signing of the FTA (Free Trade Agreement) with the United States is highly significant for many people. It was clear that plenty of North American businesses are keen to invest in Colombia. The Social Summit was also important, but there were too many issues, many discussions and few conclusions.

They say that Cartagena had the best mayor in its history for those few days: President Obama. The city was spotless, though it lacked that Caribbean flavor normally supplied by street vendors, music and chatter. Nonetheless, it is now a well-known city and an important tourist destination. All of this had its dark side for the gentlemen of the Secret Service: Certainly there is prostitution, but to suggest that Cartagena is to blame is absurd. I recall a poem by Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz: “Foolish men who accuse the woman, without reason, blind to the fact that you are the cause of that which you blame; you invite her scorn with your utter desire, why do you want her to do good when you incite her to wrongdoing?” I therefore believe the Chancellor’s words were important,* though Cartagena and Colombia need to work harder on the prostitution issue, which is ultimately an issue linked to poverty.

Overall, the outcome is positive, but Colombia must once again rebuild some of its ruptured relations, especially with Brazil, an equally important business partner. The drug issue, the search for a new political model and a new vision, is fundamental; it is from this perspective that Colombia has a new agenda.

On a regional level, the summit showed a region divided, not only by right or left wing, populist or authoritarian governments, but also by economic and social development, with some open to investment and others not, some richer and some poorer. What is clear is that the summit is costly, and whether it is a force for integration or a point of contact for the region, it needs a rethink.

* Refers to statements made by Colombian Foreign Minister, Maria Angela Holguin, in which she declared that the true culprits of the Cartagena prostitution scandal were the U.S. Secret Service agents involved.