Foreign Secretary de la Fuente Calls for Regional Agreements in Latin America and Caribbean

Foreign Secretary de la Fuente Calls for Regional Agreements in Latin America and Caribbean

• At the CELAC ministerial meeting in Honduras, Foreign Secretary Juan Ramón de la Fuente stressed that action is needed now. He called for diplomatic creativity and political dialogue with a pragmatic approach.
• He highlighted that under President Claudia Sheinbaum's leadership, Mexico is experiencing a profound transformation in public life.
• Secretary de la Fuente said that diplomacy now requires, more than ever, a humanist dimension that places people at the center of its objectives and priorities.

Mexico today called on Latin American and Caribbean countries to build agreements, as the global context demands acting with diplomatic creativity and determination to serve our citizens.

Foreign Secretary Juan Ramón de la Fuente spoke at the IX Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) Foreign Ministers meeting in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. He stressed that the time to decide and act is now. He called for political dialogue and debate with a pragmatic perspective to help overcome differences and advance agreements.

He emphasized that Mexico recognizes the region's diversity and the different political and economic visions of its governments, but collective action is necessary to address the complex challenges affecting everyone.

"The time is now for making decisions and taking action. Failing to do so would leave the region more vulnerable, and we would be letting down our people and our governments," he stated.

Secretary de la Fuente emphasized that diplomacy requires, now more than ever, a humanist dimension that places people at the center of its objectives and priorities. He said it is necessary to continue building a society where no one is left behind and where equality and dignity form the foundation for a better future.

Addressing his fellow foreign secretaries, he explained that under the leadership of President Claudia Sheinbaum, who heads a gender-balanced cabinet, Mexico is experiencing a profound transformation of public life, and is moving toward a republic that recognizes the growing importance of women's leadership, with the conviction that this will contribute to greater social justice.

He highlighted that Mexico conducts a feminist foreign policy as a transformative step to speed up progress on women's rights, ensure meaningful equality, achieve gender parity, recognize women's diversity, and build strategic partnerships that strengthen these efforts.

The Foreign Secretary rejected unilateral coercive measures and called for unwavering respect for self-determination, sovereignty, and the territorial integrity of all countries in the region.

In his remarks, he addressed the region's migration challenges, which arise from various factors. He emphasized that CELAC should function as a forum to discuss and coordinate approaches to manage migration humanely, comprehensively, responsibly, safely, and in an orderly fashion.

He explained that Mexico has developed a Humanitarian Human Mobility Model that tackles the root causes of migration while creating and diversifying legal pathways for labor mobility and handling irregular flows with full respect for human rights.

On the issue of illegal firearms trafficking in the region and its humanitarian, social, and economic toll on children, women, youths, and vulnerable groups, he urgently called on all States to act decisively to prevent, combat, and eliminate the illegal production and trafficking of weapons and ammunition, especially countries that produce, export, or import them.

In closing, Foreign Secretary De la Fuente praised Honduras for its leadership during the past year as CELAC's Pro Tempore President and warmly welcomed Colombia, which takes over the presidency this Wednesday. He extended his wishes for their success and reaffirmed Mexico's commitment to work pragmatically toward building consensus.