Rob Sequin | Havana Journal

Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton are scheduled to visit Trinidad and Tobago on April 17 - 19, 2009 for the fifth Summit of the Americas to be held at the Hyatt Regency in Port-of-Spain Trinidad. Summit Coordinator Hector Morales says The April 2009 Summit of the Americas will offer President-elect Barack Obama a unique opportunity in his administration that will signal America’s commitment to Latin America.

President of Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva, President of Venezuela Hugo Chavez and President of Bolivia Evo Morales are also expected to attend the Summit.

Key issues on the schedule include energy, security, climate change, sustainable development, human prosperity, natural disasters as well as the global financial crisis.

There is discussion of the possibility of local protests but Trinidad officials say that given the extreme security conditions required for the President’s and Secretary of State’s protection, demonstrations and protests of any kind would not be allowed at any location in Trinidad due to the small size of the country. The Trinidad military and police would be deployed throughout Trinidad before and during the Summit.

President Obama and Secretary Clinton are expected to stay at the Hilton Trinidad hotel. There is speculation that Cuba and/or US Cuba relations could be discussed publicly or perhaps privately at some point during the Summit.