Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador called for “a new coexistence” of all the countries of the Americas after stating that the model imposed more than two centuries ago “is exhausted; it has no future”.

The Mexican President on Saturday proposed that Latin American states do “something similar to the European Union, but attached to our history, our reality and our identities”, reports Xinhua news agency.

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Lopez Obrador made his comments on the 238th anniversary of the birth of Simon Bolivar at Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City, during the 21st Foreign Ministers meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).

Lopez Obrador highlighted Cuba’s forbearance in the face of the US’ blockade imposed more than 60 years ago.

“The people of Cuba deserve the prize of dignity,” he said.

In his speech, he called for the Organization of American States to become a truly autonomous body, “not a lackey of anyone but a mediator at the request and acceptance of the parties to conflicts in matters of human rights and democracy”.

Marcelo Ebrard, the Foreign Minister of Mexico, which holds the presidency of CELAC this year, thanked the representatives of the organisation’s 33 member countries for attending the event in which challenges facing the region as well as those faced by each individual nation are addressed.