18/11/2013
FAES Foundation held from Monday, 18 November to Friday 22 the XII edition of its Program of Latin American Visitors, together with the Secretariat of State for International Cooperation and for Latin America. Thirty young politicians from sixteen countries of the region and the United States took part in it, aiming to learn about the running of the Spanish political, institutional and economic system and to be trained in leadership skills.Secretaría de Estado de Cooperación Internacional y para Iberoamérica
The Program seeks to promote the strengthening of institutions, political parties and the Rule of Law in Latin America. Students took part in conferences, discussions and training workshops in the headquarters of FAES, where they also held a discussion with José María Aznar, former Prime Minister of Spain and President of FAES Foundation. They also met other prominent figures such as Jesús García, Secretary of State for International Cooperation and for Latin America, Román Escolano, President of the Official Credit Institute, Ignacio Cosidó, Director-General of the National Police, and Ana Palacio, former Minister for Foreign Affairs.
During the meetings, both participants and speakers analysed issues such as the importance of ideas in politics, as well as Constitutions and the Rule of Law, the global economic context, economic reforms to get out of the crisis, the political-ideological debate in Europe, foreign Spanish policy with Latin America, and the Atlantic link, among others.
During their stay in Spain, students also visited the Congress of Deputies and the headquarters of the Regional Government of Madrid and its City Hall, where they met Ignacio González, regional Premier of Madrid, and Ana Botella, Mayor of Madrid, respectively. They also visited the headquarters of Banco Santander, BBVA and Telefónica.