Latin America Task Force Calls for Fundamental Reassessment of the Transatlantic Relationship

Latin America Task Force Calls for Fundamental Reassessment of the Transatlantic Relationship
At an event on May 14, the Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center launched its first report: The Trilateral Bond: Mapping a New Era for Latin America, the United States, and Europe.

Speakers at the event included former Senator Christopher J. Dodd, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Roberta S. Jacobson, former Mexican Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan, and Permanent Observer of France to the OAS Pierre Henri Guignard. Topics of discussion ranged from Obama’s recent trip to Mexico and the implications for Latin America-US relations to the shifting global energy map, and the shared values among the Atlantic partners that make such a trilateral partnership relevant.

Senator Dodd, co-chair of the Transatlantic Task Force on Latin America, emphasized the central message of the report, saying, “It’s only through an enriched, enhanced trilateral relationship that the inherent potential of the greater transatlantic community will be realized, not only for our day but for future generations to come.”

Speaking of Obama’s recent trip to Mexico, Ambassador Sarukhan called attention to the “sustained attention and engagement” of the Obama administration towards the region, but emphasized that all regions must also recognize the diversity among the hemisphere when forging a partnership.

The importance of the transatlantic community partnering for global challenges emerged as a central theme of the panel. Speaking about the countries of Latin America and the potential to work together on global issues through institutions such as the G20, Assistant Secretary Jacobson said, “These are actually partners, not just with us on issues of bilateral relevance or even regional relevance—they are global partners.”

Ambassador Guignard emphasized the shared democratic values held by Europe, Latin America, and the United States as a critical component of this partnership. “There is a sense of family among the Americas and Western Europe,” said Ambassador Guignard. “It’s very important that we deal with [other] countries as a group sharing those values.”

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