Leaders of 33 Latin American countries met in Costa Rica for pledging to reduce poverty in the region, and Raul Castro lay out his pre-conditions for normalization of U.S.-Cuba relations. 

The third gathering of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States wrapped up in San Jose, Costa Rica. The meeting was intended to focus on inequality, but two Caribbean islands and their relationship with the U.S. turned out to be the real hot topics at this summit. CCTV America’s Nitza Soledad Perez reported.

CELAC member countries do not include the United States and Canada. The body is widely regarded as an alternative to the Organization of American States, which for decades excluded Cuba.

The Heat interviewed a panel of experts to discuss on this:

• Ambassador Diego Arria, former permanent representative of Venezuela at the United Nations.
• Margaret Myers, the director of the China and Latin America Program at the Inter-American Dialogue, a think tank based in Washington D.C.
• Yang Zhimin, an expert on Latin Americn economy from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Cuba was the big headliner in this third gathering of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. The Heat also interviewed Hugo Cancio, a Cuban American, to discuss how people from both countries to view the latest development on U.S.-Cuba relations. He has been active in Cuban-American politics and in business activities between the U.S. and Cuba.