“Even though the priorities and concerns are the same, the Americas are not as synchronized as we would like and there is still a lot of work to do”, was the first conclusion from the secretary general of the Organization of Americas State (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, in regards to the hemispheric encounter in Cartagena. During the conference organized at the Woodrow Wilson Center, in Washington DC, Insulza emphasized that “we have to find ways of cooperation in pending themes and that is what is going to determine if this is going to be a decade of success for the Americas”. (in Spanish)

The next decade is likely to be the decisive period determining the future course of U.S.-China relations. Unless China and the United States can find ways to block the current drift toward strategic rivalry, tensions will rise.

Since then, Latin American leaders have felt neglected, particularly as Mr. Obama's launched a drive last year to intensify his focus on Asia. "In the region there's pretty broad disappointment with the lack of attention," said Cynthia Arnson, director of the Latin America Program at the Washington-based Wilson Center think tank.

President Barack Obama attended a summit in Latin America that may have as much resonance in domestic politics as in hemispheric economics. Discussions at the meeting of North and South American leaders in the resort city of Cartagena, Colombia, covered trade, economic growth and the battle against drug trafficking.