Summit of the Americas notebook: A push for Cuba to host next summit

[Jimmy2]

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez told the 34 leaders assembled in Trinidad for the Fifth Summit of the Americas that he's got a great host country for the next summit: Cuba.

Chávez -- and most other leaders in the hemisphere -- have used their time at the summit to push Cuba's cause. Among the issues: the U.S. trade embargo and the communist country's 47-year-old suspension from the Organization of American States.

Summit spokesman Felipe Noguera -- the same Felipe Noguera who was spokesman for former Miami-Dade Schools chief Rudy Crew -- says not so fast.

''Cuba could not possibly host the next summit unless it was a member of the OAS,'' Noguera said at a televised press conference. ``You can't put the cart before the horse.''

TRY THE SHARK SOUP

During the opening ceremony for the summit on Friday, Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Patrick Manning suggested that President Evo Morales of Bolivia try Trinidad's shark soup, a local delicacy, to help gain strength after his hunger strike. The Bolivian leader arrived in Trinidad shortly after abandoning a five-day hunger strike over a political law that would allow him to run for a second term. The Associated Press reported that Morales looked exhausted and a few pounds thinner when he ended the strike. Morales cracked a little smile as Manning teased him at the opening. On Saturday, Morales responded at a press briefing.

''I'm still waiting for my shark soup,'' Morales said. ``No shark soup, no human prosperity for me.''

A DIP IN THE MEDIA POOL

It seemed like a good plan: create media pools to allow the press to cover events at the summit. A pool of 25 journalists covered the summit opening Friday night.

On Saturday, several pools were organized to cover almost a dozen events. Then summit officials announced about noon that all pools had been suspended because of ''indiscipline,'' apparently by members of the media. For the rest of the day, a summit spokesman attended plenary sessions and other events then relayed a summary of what happened to the media. Journalists were not happy since some regional leaders were calling for freedom of the press in some countries.

SPOUSES' FIELD TRIP

As the leaders met, their spouses went looking for fowl in Central Trinidad.

A special program was organized for the spouses at the Point a Pierre Club. Five of the 12 spouses who made the trip did a presentation on what their countries have done about sustainable development. But the highlight of the visit was a look at the habitat there.

The trust, according to its website, is a wetland habitat for members to relax and enjoy bird watching, photography and interpretive trails. The site says the trust is actively involved in the research, breeding and translocation of endangered wetland birds into existing natural wildlife areas in the country. Visitors can view whistling ducks, white-cheeked pintail ducks, scarlet ibis birds and blue and gold macaw.

The spouses later had lunch and went on a boat ride. Some in the entourage left before the spouses returned to shore. They hopefully made it back in time for Saturday night's summit dinner.