Declaration regarding the possibility of the Guantanamo Prison closure

The Latin American Reflection Roundtable

We have learned about the proposal by 24 senators of the Democratic Party conveyed in a public letter addressed to President Joseph Biden requesting the closure of the prison at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba, established in 2002. This initiative follows recent findings of a group of United Nations experts, who say the 40 detainees still living there are in a “legal limbo”, outside the reach of the US constitutional judicial system.

We understand that this request aims to reestablish respect for the law, the centrality of human rights and democracy in the internal and international politics of the United States. However, such a decision would transcend the local dimension and would send a clear and significant message to the world and to Latin America in particular, in whose territory this prison is established.

The Latin American Reflection Roundtable considers that this gesture, which comes at such a crucial time as the one we are experiencing, would help open up a new conversation in the American continent, on issues such as the strengthening of democracy, the respect for human rights, inequality, cooperation and development, technology transfer, and the reorganization of the Inter-American System, in the modern, respectful and unavoidable conversation that the United States and Latin America owe to themselves.

For this reason, former Foreign Ministers, politicians and academics convened under this circumstance by The Latin American Reflection Roundtable see with interest and hope that this proposal could be carried out. This can be a symbol of great value in this new space of analysis of Inter-American relations, in this uncertain and challenging time. April 30, 2021.

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Signatories to this statement:

1. Adins, Sebastien. Professor. Pontifical Catholic University. Peru.
2. Adrianzén, Alberto. Former member of the Andean Parliament. Peru.
3. Altman, Josette. Executive Secretary of FLACSO. Costa Rica.
4. Allende, Isabel. Senator. National Congress of Chile.
5. Amaral, Sergio. Former Ambassador to the United States and United Kingdom. Brazil.
6. Amorim, Celso. Former Minister of Defense. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs. Brazil.
7. Aranibar, Antonio. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs. Bolivia.
8. Arocena, Rodrigo. Former Rector, University of the Republic. Uruguay
9. Bergamino, Ariel. Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs. Uruguay.
10. Bernal Meza, Raúl. Professor. University of the Center, Buenos Aires Province. Argentina.
11. Bielsa, Rafael. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs. Argentina.
12. Bitar, Sergio. Former Minister of Education and Public Works. Former Senator. Chile.
13. Bittencourt, Gustavo. Professor, University of the Republic. Uruguay.
14. Borda, Sandra. Professor. University of Los Andes. Colombia.
15. Bordón, José Octavio. Former Senator. Argentina
16. Caetano, Gerardo. Professor. University of the Republic. Uruguay.
17. Carrión, Francisco. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs. Ecuador.
18. Chacón, Susana. Coordinator: México in the World. México.
19. Dada, Héctor. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs. El Salvador.
20. De la Puente, Juan. Professor. University of San Martín de Porres. Peru.
21. De María y Campos, Mauricio. Former Ambassador. México.
22. Devés-Valdés, Eduardo. Professor, University of Santiago. Chile.
23. Dussel Peters, Enrique, Director Cechimex, UNAM. Mexico.
24. Sergio Fajardo, Former presidential candidate. Colombia.
25. Fernández, Gustavo. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs. Bolivia.
26. Fernández, Mariano. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs. Chile.
27. Ffrench – Davis, Ricardo. National Prize for Humanities. Chile.
28. Ferrero, Eduardo. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs. Peru.
29. Gaitán, Pilar. “La Paz Querida” Corporation. Colombia.
30. García, Enrique. Former Minister of Planning. Former President of CAF. Bolivia.
31. García Sayán, Diego. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs. Peru.
32. González, Guadalupe. Associate Professor. The College of Mexico.
33. Grebe López, Horst. Former Minister of Economic Development. Bolivia.
34. Heredia Zubieta, Carlos. Associate Professor. CIDE. Mexico.
35. Hirst, Mónica. Professor. UTDT. IESP-UERJ. Brazil.
36. Insulza, José Miguel. Senator. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs. Chile.
37. Iturralde Ballivián, Carlos. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs. Bolivia.
38. Jarquín, Edmundo. Former presidential candidate. Nicaragua.
39. Jordán Prudencio, Nicole. Project Coordinator, FES. Bolivia
40. Lafer, Celso. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs. Brazil.
41. Letelier, Juan Pablo. Senator. National Congress of. Chile.
42. Luiselli, Cassio. Former Ambassador and Former Vice-Minister. Mexico.
43. Lustig, Nora. Professor. University of Tulane.
44. Malcorra, Susana. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs. Argentina.
45. Maurtua, Oscar. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs. Peru.
46. Merke, Federico. Professor. University of San Andres. Argentina.
47. Mohar, Gustavo. Former Vice-minister of Migration, Security and Frontiers. Mexico.
48. Muñoz, Heraldo. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs. Chile
49. Morales Moreno, Isidro. Researcher Professor. Tecnologico of Monterrey. Mexico
50. Murillo De La Rocha, Javier. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs. Bolivia.
51. Pachano, Simón. Professor at FLACSO. Ecuador.
52. Pardo, Rodrigo. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs. Colombia.
53. Pastrana, Eduardo. Professor, Javeriana University. Colombia
54. Pellicer, Olga. Former Ambassador, Professor and Researcher. ITAM. Mexico.
55. Quijano, José Manuel. Former Director. Secretary General of MERCOSUR. 
56. Reyes Matta, Fernando. Former Ambassador. Professor. Andrés Bello University. Chile.
57. Ricúpero, Rubens. Former Minister of Finance. Secretary General. UNCTAD. Brazil.
58. Rivas, Eda. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs. Peru.
59. Riveros, Edgardo. Former Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs. Chile
60. Robledo, Marcos. Former Vice-Minister of Defense. Chile.
61. Rodríguez Cuadros, Manuel. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs. Peru.
62. Rodríguez Gigena, Gonzalo. Former Ambassador to the ALADI. Uruguay.
63. Romani Gerner Milton. Former Ambassador to the OAS. Uruguay.
64. Romero, Carlos. Professor. Central University. Venezuela.
65. Rojas Samanez, Fernando. Former Vice-Minister. Peru.
66. Rosales, Osvaldo. Former Ambassador and Former Director of Economic Integration ECLAC. Chile.
67. Roncagliolo, Rafael. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs. Peru.
68. Russell, Roberto. Professor. University Torcuato Di Tella. Argentina.
69. Salvador, María Isabel. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs. Ecuador.
70. Santillán, Gustavo. Professor. University of Córdoba. Argentina.
71. Sepúlveda, Bernardo. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Judge of the International Court of Justice. Mexico.
72. Siles, Juan Ignacio. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs. Bolivia.
73. Silva Luján, Gabriel. Former Minister of Defense and former Ambassador to the United States. Colombia.
74. Schiavon, Jorge A. Professor, CIDE, Mexico.
75. Somavía, Juan. President of the Permanent Forum of Foreign Policy. Former Director-General of the ILO. Chile.
76. Suárez Dávila, Francisco. Former Ambassador and former Vice-Minister. Mexico.
77. Taiana, Jorge. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs. Argentina.
78. Tokatlián, Juan Gabriel. Professor. University Torcuato Di Tella. Argentina.
79. Valdés, Juan Gabriel. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs. Chile.
80. Valdés Ugalde, José Luis. Researcher Professor. CISAN. UNAM. Mexico.
81. Van Klaveren, Alberto. Former Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs. Chile.
82. Vidarte, Oscar. Professor. Pontifical Catholic University. Peru.
83. Zegada, María Teresa. The University of San Simón. Bolivia.