His Excellency Enrique Reina, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Honduras, left, walks on on the red carpet prior to the opening ceremony of the Summit of the Americas, Wednesday, June 8, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — President Joe Biden said Wednesday that democracy is an “essential ingredient” for the Western Hemisphere’s future as he welcomed leaders to the Summit of the Americas, an implicit rebuttal to those who boycotted the gathering because authoritarians were not invited.
