The president ratified his positive attitude towards CELAC and its members holding meetings with other blocs or nations as long as these meetings are held in a respectful manner. | Photo: @Canal4Ni​​

Managua, May 19 (RHC)-- Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega pointed to the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) as a meeting point for the countries of the region, and called to strengthen it to achieve greater autonomy and sovereignty. 

"There we have the starting point (in CELAC), now we need strength for this community to have more sovereignty and autonomy," said the Nicaraguan leader in the framework of the celebrations for the 127th anniversary of the birth of National Hero Augusto César Sandino.

The Nicaraguan president highlighted the values and anti-imperialist character of CELAC, an organization that was born "with the strength and energy of the revolutionary processes that were multiplying in Latin America and the Caribbean" and had the courage not to include the United States in the organization.

Daniel Ortega ratified his support for CELAC and its members to hold meetings with other blocs or nations as long as these meetings are respectful and in this sense, he recalled that countries such as Russia, China and India maintain extensive exchanges with the community.

President Daniel Ortega said: "We have to make ourselves respected.  We cannot be asking the United States that we want to go to their summit.  We are not encouraged by their summit," said the Nicaraguan leader regarding the exclusion of his country, Cuba and Venezuela from the Summit of the Americas, an issue promoted by the United States.

He also thanked the signs of concern and courage of several governments in the area that expressed their opposition to the position of the U.S. country.

In this sense, the president affirmed that CELAC should say to the United States:  "Stay there with your summit" and it should be CELAC who invites Washington to meet, without excluding anyone from the region.

"It is a disgrace the spectacle that the Yankee rulers are putting on with this so-called Summit of the Americas," concluded the Nicaraguan president.