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| Fourth Summit of the Americas | |
|---|---|
| Name | Fourth Summit of the Americas |
| Caption | Leaders at the 2005 Summit |
| Date | November 2005 |
| Venue | Mar del Plata Convention Center |
| Location | Mar del Plata, Argentina |
| Participants | Heads of state and government of the OAS member states |
| Chair | Néstor Kirchner |
| Preceded by | Third Summit of the Americas |
| Followed by | Summit of the Americas (2009) |
Fourth Summit of the Americas was a meeting of heads of state and government from the Organization of American States membership held in Mar del Plata, Argentina in November 2005. The summit convened leaders from North, Central, and South America, and the Caribbean Community to discuss hemispheric integration, trade liberalization, and social development. It occurred amid debates over the Free Trade Area of the Americas, rising leftist administrations in Latin America, and controversies involving United States foreign policy, Hugo Chávez, and George W. Bush.
The summit followed a sequence of hemispheric dialogues including the Third Summit of the Americas in Quebec City, Canada and earlier gatherings such as the Summit of the Americas (1994) in Miami and the Summit of the Americas (1998) in Santiago. Regional dynamics were shaped by the Free Trade Area of the Americas negotiation process, which involved actors like the United States Trade Representative, Brazil under Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and Argentina under Néstor Kirchner. Political shifts included the presidencies of Hugo Chávez in Venezuela, Evo Morales in Bolivia, Rafael Correa in Ecuador, and the influence of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA). External actors such as Canada, Mexico under Vicente Fox, and Cuba's exclusion from the OAS context influenced the summit's framing. Global institutions like the World Trade Organization and regional bodies including the Andean Community and the Union of South American Nations provided context for trade and integration debates.
Host Néstor Kirchner organized logistics with Argentine agencies, municipal authorities of Mar del Plata, and the OAS secretariat. Delegations included presidents, prime ministers, and foreign ministers from states such as United States (represented by George W. Bush), Canada (represented by Paul Martin), Brazil (Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva), Chile (Ricardo Lagos), Colombia (Álvaro Uribe), Peru (Alejandro Toledo), and leaders from Central America like Óscar Arias of Costa Rica. Caribbean representation featured heads from the Caribbean Community and Organization of Eastern Caribbean States. Observers and international organizations attended, including delegations from the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, and the Inter-American Development Bank. Civil society actors such as Attac, labor unions, indigenous organizations, and non-governmental organizations coordinated parallel events.
Official agenda items focused on hemispheric integration, trade and investment, social inclusion, fiscal policy coordination, energy cooperation, and democratic governance. Central to debates was the Free Trade Area of the Americas proposal and its implications for United States trade policy, with opponents citing alternative frameworks like ALBA and regional initiatives led by Brazil and Argentina. Social policy advocates invoked programs from Venezuela and Brazil such as Bolsa Família and Misiones as models for poverty reduction. Environmental and energy concerns referenced the Amazon rainforest, OPEC dynamics via Venezuela, and cooperation on biofuels championed by Brazil. Security issues brought in references to Plan Colombia, drug interdiction cooperation with United States Southern Command, and democratic consolidation efforts linked to the Inter-American Democratic Charter.
Public addresses by leaders generated notable statements: George W. Bush defended free trade frameworks and the FTAA process, while Hugo Chávez denounced neoliberalism and proposed alternatives emphasizing sovereignty and social justice. Néstor Kirchner called for consensus-building and criticized unilateral approaches. Regional figures like Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Michelle Bachelet of Chile emphasized South American integration, later institutionalized through mechanisms like the Union of South American Nations and the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES)'s regional role. Declarations referenced commitments to poverty reduction, democratic institutions epitomized by the OAS Charter, and cooperation on humanitarian crises observed in disputes involving Haiti and Cuba.
The summit did not finalize the Free Trade Area of the Americas; instead, leaders agreed on language acknowledging differing positions and the need for further consultations. Several accords targeted social development priorities inspired by Latin American conditional cash transfer programs such as Bolsa Família and Oportunidades (formerly Progresa). Commitments were made toward regional cooperation in energy, infrastructure, and disaster response involving institutions like the Inter-American Development Bank and the Pan American Health Organization. While no binding FTAA timetable emerged, the summit influenced subsequent regional diplomacy, contributing to later gatherings including the Summit of the Americas (2009) in Trinidad and Tobago and the strengthening of South American forums like Mercosur and UNASUR.
The summit was marked by large street demonstrations organized by trade union federations, student groups, indigenous organizations, and anti-globalization networks including Attac and World Social Forum participants. Clashes between protesters and Argentine security forces attracted attention, as did the rhetoric exchanged between George W. Bush and Hugo Chávez that polarized media coverage involving outlets such as CNN and BBC News. Debates over Cuba's exclusion from hemispheric institutions and criticisms of Plan Colombia and United States military bases in the region fueled protests. Allegations of surveillance, arrests, and restrictions on assembly involved domestic institutions in Argentina and raised concerns among human rights groups including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
The summit signaled a turning point in hemispheric politics by highlighting the weakening consensus around FTAA-style liberalization and the rise of alternative integration projects led by Brazil, Venezuela, and other left-leaning administrations. It accelerated diplomatic initiatives culminating in the consolidation of UNASUR and reinvigoration of Mercosur agendas, while influencing United States policymakers on engagement strategies in Latin America. Civil society mobilization at Mar del Plata energized subsequent anti-globalization and social movement coordination across the Americas, linking actors from Mexico City protest traditions to Buenos Aires and São Paulo. The event remains a reference point in analyses of 21st-century Latin American realignment, debates over sovereignty, and the shifting architecture of inter-American relations.
Category:Summits of the Americas Category:2005 in Argentina Category:International conferences in Argentina