President-elect Leonel Fernandez will travel to Puerto Rico, Brazil, Chile and the United States, according to reports.
To kick off this trip, Fernandez will stop first in Puerto Rico to participate in an activity at the Universidad del Turabo on Monday, 14 June. Later in the day, he continues on to Sao Paolo, Brazil to participate in the 11th Session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development to be held from 13-18 June. On Tuesday, 15 June the incoming head of state is scheduled to meet with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva. El Caribe reports that during the National Dialogue presentations prior to the May election, Fernandez had said that he would seek a strategic alliance with Brazil, which would provide a doorway to enter the South American Common Market (Mercosur). Brazil is currently seeking to become the first Latin American permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. Fernandez backs coordinating a position so that Latin America receives a more just representation on the forum for regional and world power. On Wednesday, 16 June Fernandez will be a keynote speaker at the conference, speaking on ?Assuring development gains from the international trading system and trade negotiations?.
Also while in Brazil, he is scheduled to meet with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to discuss petroleum imports from Venezuela.
From 18-21 June he is scheduled to visit several South American countries, starting with a stopover in Chile on 18 June.
On 21 June, he flies back to the DR, where a summit with President Hipolito Mejia is scheduled for the following day.
On 23 June, Fernandez is scheduled to travel to New York City to participate in the Global Compact Leaders? Summit at the United Nations headquarters. The event is being described as a historic opportunity for leaders to bring intensified international focus and increased momentum to the Secretary General?s leadership challenge for a global society.
See http://www.unglobalcompactsummit.org
While in the New York area, Fernandez plans to meet with the governor of New Jersey.