08:36 | Havana, Jan. 29 (ANDINA).
Peruvian President Ollanta Humala Tasso has left for Cuba to attend the Second Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in Havana.
Accompanying the president on this trip are Foreign Minister Eda Rivas and Defense Minister Pedro Cateriano.
During the summit, which opened on Tuesday, Ollanta Humala will join the heads of state and government from 33 Latin American and Caribbean nations, including Chilean President Sebastian Piñera.
Wednesday’s session will be the first opportunity for Humala and Piñera to meet after the United Nations’ top court ruled on a maritime dispute between their countries. The Peruvian leader could also hold talks with Piñera's successor, Michelle Bachelet, on this issue.
The summit’s “Havana Declaration,” to be signed Wednesday, is expected to touch on issues ranging from combatting poverty and illiteracy to disarmament.
CELAC is a regional bloc of 33 countries with a population of some 600 million. It was formed at the Unity Summit, which consisted of the 21st Summit of the Rio Group and the Second Latin American and Caribbean Summit on Integration and Development (CALC), in the Mayan Riviera, Mexico on Feb. 23, 2010.
The first CELAC summit was hosted by Chile on Jan. 27-28, 2013 with member nations calling in the Declaration of Santiago for greater regional integration while acknowledging the diversity of political and social models in the region, among other issues.
(END) INT/EEP
Published: 1/29/2014