OTTAWA — Chile’s cancellation of an Asia-Pacific summit next month means Prime Minister Justin Trudeau likely won’t be venturing too far from home anytime soon as he retools his cabinet for a minority government.
Trudeau spoke to President Sebastian Pinera on Tuesday, one day before the Chilean leader pulled the plug on the Nov. 16-17 gathering of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation leaders’ meeting because of protests that have disrupted his country for nearly two weeks.
Pinera also cancelled the international climate summit that was set for mid December in the Chilean capital of Santiago.
Trudeau has said he will announce his new cabinet on Nov. 20, but the APEC summit would have provided an opportunity for him to attend a meeting that would have included U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
A summary from the Prime Minister’s Office of Trudeau’s phone call with Pinera made no direct mention of the ongoing turmoil in Chile, a thriving country with which Canada has negotiated a free trade agreement.
Chilean protesters have taken to the streets to decry a lack of income equality and inadequate public services.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 30, 2019.
The Canadian Press
The Canadian Press
