Unprecedented Latin American opposition to sanctions on communist Cuba put more pressure on President Barack Obama at the Summit of the Americas yesterday and threatened to further weaken US influence in the region.
In contrast to the rock-star status he enjoyed at the 2009 summit in Trinidad and Tobago shortly after taking office, Mr Obama has had a bruising time at the two-day meeting of some 30 heads of state, held in Colombia.
Sixteen US security personnel were embroiled last week in an embarrassing prostitution scandal, Brazil and others have bashed Mr Obama over monetary expansionism, and he has been on the defensive over calls to legalise drugs.
Last week’s prostitution incident has been a major blow to the prestige of Mr Obama’s Secret Service bodyguards and turned into the unexpected talk of the town in Cartagena.
In a trickle of statements meant to fend off the swirling controversy, the US government has referred only to “alleged misconduct”, and has started an inquiry. But it confirmed grounding five military servicemen in their hotel and sending home 11 agents of the Secret Service.