Pan American Day and Pan American Week, 2019

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Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 9862 of April 12, 2019

Pan American Day and Pan American Week, 2019

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

In October 1889, the nations of the Americas convened
in Washington, D.C., at the First International
Conference of the American States, to strengthen the
bonds of friendship among the countries of the Western
Hemisphere and to consider opportunities for improved
cooperation. This conference set the foundation for the
Organization of American States, which was eventually
established in 1948 and today serves as the primary
international forum for the countries of the Western
Hemisphere. As we celebrate this Pan American Day and
Pan American Week, nearly 130 years after the First
International Conference, the United States proudly
continues to stand in solidarity with the nations of
the Americas. Together, we commemorate the progress we
have made toward our shared goal of a hemisphere united
in democracy, prosperity, and security.

The people of the Americas are bound together by much
more than geographic proximity. From the earliest days
of the inter-American system, we have shared a deep
respect for liberty. Enshrined in the Charter of the
Organization of American States is a declaration that
``representative democracy is an indispensable
condition for the stability, peace, and development of
the region'' and that ``the historic mission of America
is to offer to man a land of liberty.'' We remain
committed to freedom and a strong and interconnected
Western Hemisphere in the face of current challenges.

Together, the nations of America must continue to
confront oppression and advocate for freedom--both in
the region and around the globe. Sadly, the people of
Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua continue to live under
tyranny and authoritarianism. The brutality and
corruption of the illegitimate former regime in
Venezuela has crippled the country and brought it to
ruin. We must not forget that the struggle is one
between dictatorship and democracy, between oppression
and freedom, and between continued suffering for
millions of Venezuelans and an opportunity for a
renewed future of freedom and prosperity. The community
of democracies in our Western Hemisphere must continue
to support the people of Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua
as they fight for the restoration of democracy and
liberty.

Despite such challenges, the countries of the Americas
have made substantive progress on issues such as
trafficking and crime, poverty reduction, and safety.
The United States has worked with its partners to
disrupt transnational criminal networks, stem drug and
human trafficking, enhance citizen security, and
strengthen border security. We will continue working
cooperatively in the Americas and throughout the world
to promote the rule of law and give the people of our
countries every opportunity to thrive.

On Pan American Day and during Pan American Week, the
nations of the Americas renew our common mission of
advancing freedom in our hemisphere. Through unmatched
levels of trade and investment, steady cooperation, and
investment in the well-being of people from all walks
of life, we are helping to secure prosperity and
security for future generations.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim April 14, 2019,

as Pan American Day and April 14 through April 20,
2019, as Pan American Week. I urge the Governors of the
50 States, the Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico, and the officials of the other areas under the
flag of the United States of America to honor these
observances with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twelfth day of April, in the year of our Lord two
thousand nineteen, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and forty-
third.