Venezuelan President questions Cuba's exclusion from the Americas Summit

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez questioned on Sunday the exclusion of Cuba from the 5th Summit of The Americas to be held from April 17 to 19 in Trinidad and Tobago.

Chavez confirmed his attendance to the meeting which will be participated by representatives from 34 countries of the Americas.
He also reaffirmed the request of his government to include Cuba in the summit, Xinhua reported.

In his Sunday TV-radio program "Alo, Presidente", Chavez said that South American and Caribbean countries can no longer accept impositions from the U.S.

"This continent must be free!" Chavez said and added that the Organization of American States (OAS), organizer of the summit, is not democratic.
Chavez added that if the new U.S. government "really want to have other kind of ties with Latin America, it must treat all the governments with respect."
Chavez also said that during the 5th Summit the countries will urge U.S. to lift the economic and financial embargo against Cuba since 1962.

U.S. President Barack Obama "has moral obligation to suspend the embargo in Cuba. On our side, we only request respect for Venezuela. We will not kneel before anybody," Chavez said.