LEILA FADEL, HOST:
The U.S. is hosting the Summit of the Americas. This week's Los Angeles gathering is the first time it's being held in the U.S. since the leaders in the Western Hemisphere began meeting in 1994. White House officials promise an ambitious agenda tackling record migration, climate change and preparation for a future pandemic. But so far, that has been overshadowed by a major boycott and questions about waning U.S. influence in the region. White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez has more.
FRANCO ORDOÑEZ, BYLINE: There was a lot of optimism in Latin America when Joe Biden took office. He had more experience in the region than any previous modern president. As vice president, he visited more than 16 times and tried to convince skeptical Latin American leaders that the United States was listening. Here he was at the 2009 summit.
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VICE PRES JOE BIDEN: We really, genuinely - we genuinely want to be collaborative. We genuinely want to engage.
ORDOÑEZ: But after more than a year in office, Biden has devoted so much time to Russia and China. And he faces questions about the U.S. commitment to Latin America. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador had another question.
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PRESIDENT ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADOR: (Speaking Spanish).
ORDOÑEZ: He said if Biden excluded some leaders from the summit, he wouldn't go either. The White House thought about it, but ruled out inviting the authoritarian...
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