Desires for hope and change adorned the speeches and messages of some of the leaders of Latin America during the celebration New Yearbut black clouds are also painted.
After a complex year at the political and economic level in the region, the heads of states and governments tried to send positive messages to their fellow citizens, highlighting the development, but also the sacrifices that must be made to achieve it.
Maduro’s “achievements”
One of the political leaders who tried to see things in a positive way was Venezuelan Nicolas Madurowho said that Venezuela has “achieved the impossible” thanks to its “political, social and economic model”, which “cannot and does not want to be a copy or copy of any”.
He emphasized that, thanks to the “creation of alternative formulas to neoliberal prescriptions”, the nation achieved “important balances” and progressed, in a “successful way”, towards the growth of a “new diversified model”, with the aim of “overcoming” the “dependence” on oil.
For 2024, Venezuela has a scheduled meeting with the polling stations for some presidential elections that do not yet have a date and that they are a real challenge for Maduro, in power since 2013.
Economy and crime
In recent years, Peru has experienced serious institutional crises, such as the one caused after the coup d’état of the then president Pedro Castillo 2022, but the economy didn’t seem to suffer until last year, when it started recording red numbers after 25 years.
The President’s speech at the end of the year was aimed at this very point. Dina Boluartewho indicated that during 2024 they will work to strengthen the economy, which is also greatly affected by the El Niño phenomenon.
Another concern highlighted by Boluarte is the fight against “crime and delinquency”, in a country that ended the year with an average 8.7 murders per hundred thousand people.
“Get out of the trenches”
Following the rejection of constitutional reform following the December 17 plebiscite, Chile remains in a kind of political and social nexus exacerbated by polarization.
Precisely for this reason, its president, Gabriel Boriche called on the political class to “come out of the trenches” and “reach important agreements for the benefit of citizens”, such as pension reform and a new fiscal pact.
“If in politics we manage to get out of the trenches and listen to each other, dialogue, and put the country and its citizens above all concerns, I’m sure we can reach important agreements that will benefit you,” he added.
In the face of “disaster”
Javier Mileywho took charge of Argentina on December 10, was one of the most realistic about the prospects for his country.
“If we do not do what is necessary now, we are heading towards an economic catastrophe of a scale unknown to any living Argentine,” he warned.
For Mileius, who received from the hands of his predecessor, Alberto Fernandezcountry with inflation exceeding 160% on an annual level, what is “necessary” is to approve the bill that was sent to Parliament a few days ago, an initiative that contains extensive reforms in various areas, with a special interest in the sphere economy.
“Challenge” year
President of Cuba, Miguel Diaz-Canelhe warned that 2024 will be a “challenging” year and called on the islanders to enter it with “passion” and “joy” to “change everything that needs to be changed”.
Likewise, he called for “creativity to build, create and destroy every brick of the blockade (the economic embargo that the United States applies to the island) with creativity, that’s what we have to do, knowing that no one will do it for us”.
“Today everything seems more difficult than ever because of the long years of supporting the criminal weight” of the US embargo, he pointed out, admitting “mistakes resulting from the constant search for solutions” in the face of this increased policy of fences and sanctions. .
Cuba welcomes 2024 immersed in a serious crisis that has been going on for three years, which means shortage of basic products (food, fuel and medicine), huge inflation, frequent power outages and partial dollarization of the economy.
Improvement and work
President of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obradorin the middle of the inauguration ahead of the second section Mayan train from Cancun (Quintana Roo) to Palenque (Chiapas)in the southeast of the country, said he closed the year “doing well”.
“I was very happy and I share my joy with you because we crossed the new Boca del Cerro bridge on the Mayan train to reach Palenque. We ended the year doing well. Hugs.”
For his part, the President of Bolivia, Luis Arcethey pointed out in a message on the social network
“In every smile, in every hopeful look, in every expression of affection from our population, we find the strength to continue working for that industrialized #Bolivia that we will leave to our daughters and sons, granddaughters and grandsons,” he added. .
Source: Panama America
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
