San Jose, January 29 (PL-RHC)-- The Third Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) concludes Thursday in the capital of Costa Rica in an environment of unity and regional integration.

The meeting was inaugurated Wednesday in the presence of 21 heads of state and government and other representatives of the 33 countries that make up the mechanism, founded on December 3, 2011 in Caracas, Venezuela.

Throughout more than 10 hours, twenty leaders presented the position of their governments on the cardinal issues in the region, including the need to face new challenges together.

The president of Costa Rica, Luis Guillermo Solis, said that diversity in reflection and unity in action must be the greatest strength and reference to guide CELAC.

Advances in this way were designated by the President of Cuba, Raul Castro, who stressed that “Our America has entered a new era and has advanced since the creation of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States.”

To develop unity in diversity, cohesive performance and respect for differences will remain our primary purpose and an unavoidable necessity, because the world's problems are compounded', he said.

The demand to end the U.S. blockade on Cuba for over half a century was unanimous in the speeches of heads of state and government.

The leaders also welcomed the decision of the Presidents of Cuba, Raul Castro, and the United States, Barack Obama, to restore diplomatic relations between the two countries, broken by Washington in 1961.

Support for the peace process in Colombia, the decision to move forward in the fight against poverty and social inequalities were coincident points on the dignitaries' interventions.