[20180418]IF10863_2018年美洲峰会.pdf

https:/crsreports.congress.gov Updated April 18, 20182018 Summit of the AmericasOverview The eighth Summit of the Americas took place in Lima, Peru, on April 13-14, 2018. The Summits of the Americas have been held roughly every three years since 1994 and serve as opportunities for the Western Hemispheres heads of government to engage directly with one another and address issues of mutual concern. Congress expressed considerable interest in the 2018 summit, with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee holding a hearing in the lead-up to the event and several Members traveling to Lima to observe the proceedings and meet with the hemispheres leaders. The official theme of the summit was “Democratic Governance against Corruption.” Accordingly, the leaders of the hemisphere committed to undertaking measures to increase transparency and combat corruption in their countries. They also discussed the ongoing political and economic crises in Venezuela, although Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro was not invited to attend. A group of 16 nations issued a declaration that called on Venezuela to hold free and fair elections and urged the international community to provide humanitarian aid to the