Latin American and Caribbean leaders have wrapped their annual summit of a regional grouping that excludes the United States and Canada. The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States held its first gathering last year as a counterweight to forums that exclude Cuba. Cuban President Raúl Castro touted the summit’s accomplishments.

President Raúl Castro: “We’ve reached important agreements on significant issues such as the announcement of a 'peace zone' in the region and the rules and norms for guaranteeing that intra- and extra-regional cooperation could bring tangible benefits to the community.”