In November 2023, during the summit that made the Alliance for Economic Prosperity of the Americas (APEP) official in Washington, President Joe Biden gave key news for the country: in 2025 the meeting of nations would be held in Costa Rica.
The detail is that in a few weeks the Democratic authorities will leave the White House. Donald Trump’s return to the Presidency will also imply the review of several of those inherited projects, where changes are already expected at the local level.
Before the legislative recess, Foreign Minister Arnoldo André appeared before the Legislative Commission on International Affairs and there they discussed issues such as the eventual summit.
However, he did advance possible adjustments in APEP. Currently, countries such as Mexico, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Uruguay, the Dominican Republic and Barbados participate in the forum, a situation that could change.
“I feel that not all the countries included in this list are going to be considered as countries that are in line with the new Trump Administration,” said André. At the same time, he did not rule out even changes to the APEP format. “Some of them could be excluded. And I do believe that the new administration will want to launch its own initiative on how to relate to Latin America,” he added.
The first summit of the Alliance for Economic Prosperity in the Americas (APEP) took place on November 3, 2023 at the White House (Presidency)
What awaits Costa Rica?
According to André, these possible changes do not negatively impact the country. “I have no doubt that Costa Rica will remain one of the countries with which the United States will want to have alliances, I do not doubt that,” he said. However, he maintains that “we must position ourselves in time.”
Along these lines, the strategy has involved approaches from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade. For example, there have been conversations with congressmen and possible members of the Trump government.
In addition, international offices are being used
“Our embassy in Washington has of course instructions to approach the members of the new administration who are appointed to open those channels of communication,” he explained.
The Costa Rican Embassy in the United States is also already working on connecting with the new authorities (Tomás Gómez/El Observador)
Would CAFTA change under Trump?
One of the points that generates expectations of the new Donald Trump government has to do with foreign trade parameters. One of his recurring announcements has been the imposition of tariffs, as well as the eventual revision of the North American Free Trade Agreement (T-MEC).
Although at the moment the signals have been directed more towards countries like Mexico, other voices observe whether there would also be a relationship in agreements such as the Free Trade Agreement with Central America (CAFTA).
“There might be a concern if the new administration decided to review CAFTA by some of the current members that we would have to deal with the collateral effect on Costa Rica, but that would be premature,” concluded André.
