Biden's Lackluster Los Angeles Summit Reveals Waning Influence in Latin America
- Summit of Americas marked by boycotts, discord, vague pacts
- Event overshadowed by Jan. 6 hearing, inflation report
Joe Biden speaks during the Opening Plenary of the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles on June 9.
Photographer: Mario Tama/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
President Joe Biden sought to put on a show of hemispheric unity at a Los Angeles summit this week, but boycotts, bluster and lackluster pledges instead exposed the shaky state of US influence in Latin America.
Biden’s Summit of the Americas -- the first hosted by the US since 1994 -- will conclude Friday with the announcement of a regional migration pact, a document offering minimal new funding, few specifics and questions about enforcement, highlighting how the gathering fell short.