Roughly 47 years after having banned Cuba from the Organization
of American States, Latin American leaders are angling to reinstate the
island nation, despite the fact that it lacks the democratic
credentials spelled out in the OAS charter.
The effort is a
prominent storyline heading into the April 17-19 Summit of the Americas
in Trinidad and Tobago, where 34 leaders from the hemisphere will meet
to discuss the global economic crisis, energy policy and security
issues, among other things. But the meeting's narrative also includes
President Barack Obama's first opportunity to redefine U.S.-Latin
American relations, which took a backseat under former President George
W. Bush. ...