Venezuela's fast-escalating political crisis and Colombia's stuttering peace process looked certain to dominate the Ibero-American Summit on Saturday rather than an official agenda about youth, entrepreneurship and education. Amid a swing to the political right around the region, Peru's president and former investment banker Pedro Pablo Kuczynski was leading calls to put Venezuela at the top of the agenda.
The oil-rich country's socialist government is facing an escalation of opposition protests after electoral authorities suspended a referendum on President Nicolas Maduro's rule that could have led to his departure from office. Maduro, 53, narrowly won election to succeed Hugo Chavez in 2013 but has seen his popularity plummet during a deep economic crisis. He was due to attend the summit briefly on Saturday, organizers and a Venezuelan government source said.
Heads of state and officials from around Latin America, as well as Portugal and Spain, were attending the meeting in the coastal humidity of colonial Cartagena and were due to release a statement later on Saturday. Venezuela, despite having the world's largest oil reserves, is mired in a prolonged recession worsened by currency depreciation and low oil prices, with many skipping meals due to shortages and soaring prices. Critics say Maduro has kept a grip on power by side-lining the legislature, arresting opponents and leaning on compliant institutions to squash the referendum. He says foes are seeking to topple him illegally.
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