President Joe Biden is set to kick off the leader-level portion of the United States-hosted Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, California, as Washington seeks to reassert leadership in the region through a raft of initiatives aimed at boosting economies, addressing migration, and tackling public health crises.
The event, which has waned in relevance in recent years, has already been overshadowed by the US decision to exclude Nicaragua, Venezuela and Cuba from the guest list. US officials have stood by that decision, citing rights abuses and a lack of democracy in the shut-out countries, but several leaders, including Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, have said the move undermines the spirit of the gathering and have opted to send lower-level delegates in protest.
