As anticipated El Universal, President Álvaro Uribe Vélez Cartagena confirmed as the venue for the Sixth Summit of the Americas, which will bring together Heads of State and Government of 34 countries in the Western Hemisphere in 2013.

"I must say the Colombians from all regions, with all affection: Colombia had asked for the seat of the Summit of the Americas at the time of the last summit in Mar del Plata (Argentina). They asked us to the fact that the Caribbean had not had a seat, Colombia declined in favor of Trinidad (and Tobago), and we did.

"So we went back to ask headquarters, assigned us, and since that was my first call to the city of Cartagena," said the Head of State.

Colombia was elected unanimously as the headquarters of the Sixth Summit of the Americas. The appointment was made during the 39th General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), held in recent days in San Pedro Sula (Honduras).

The Summits of the Americas are regular meetings of Heads of State and Government of 34 Western Hemisphere countries, convened to consider and take decisions on issues of relevance to the region.
Uribe asked the Cartagena meeting to prepare for such major event, within four years.

"Get ready, because that implies a very large and a very high spending budget," he said.