Web Letters: Obama Set for a Summit in the Sun

After decades of a failed approach in developing relationships of mutual respect, now there is a window for President Obama to take another approach. There is a critical need for governance with a high priority on social justice, many Latin American countries having elected governments that place a top priority on social development with justice, needless to say with the support of the dominant paradigm of social justice of the Catholic Church (the vast majority of perhaps 90 percent in every Latin American country being Catholics). The USA can develop partnerships with each country to meet specific needs, be it indigenous rights, land reform, responsible environmental management, corporate responsibility (multinational mining companies with detrimental effects on the environment being major players) etc.

Is the USA up to the challenge or will it be business as usual, which will only further antagonize Latin American countries and continue the decades-old scenario of a lack of trust?

SAM GEORGE

Vancouver, BC, Canada