PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico, (Reuters) – Cuban  President Raul Castro called for Latin American solidarity yesterday at a summit in Mexico to create a new organization that  could weaken U.S. influence in the region.

He backed Latin American complaints against the United  States and Britain at a meeting of the “Rio Group” of regional  leaders near the Caribbean resort town of Playa del Carmen.

The Rio Group, which welcomed Communist Cuba as a member in  2008, condemned the decades-long U.S. embargo on Cuba and  Castro blasted British oil exploration in the Falkland islands,  known as the Islas Malvinas in Spanish.

Argentina objects to private companies searching for oil in  the territory, which it claims even though the South Atlantic  islands have been British-controlled since the 19th century.

“Cuba has always backed Argentina’s justified claims to the  Islas Malvinas. Today we firmly support the legitimate rights  of our sister nation over her natural resources,” Castro said.

Britain’s Desire Petroleum has begun oil and gas  exploration offshore near the Falklands. Falkland Oil & Gas,  Rockhopper Exploration and Borders & Southern have also  announced plans to drill in the area.

Argentina said last week ships sailing from its ports to  the Falklands would need a government permit.

Cuba also critized the inclusion of Ecuador on a list of  nations accused by an international watchdog of failing to  comply with standards against money laundering and terrorist  financing.

The Financial Action Task Force, or FATF, comprised of  governments and regional organizations, named Ecuador alongside  Iran, Angola, North Korea and Ethiopia as nations posing risks  to the international financial system.

“We also support the Ecuadorean government in its just  complaints,” Castro said. “Which reminds us of the spurious  U.S. State Department lists of countries that supposedly  sponsor terrorism,” he said.

The election of President Barack Obama led to a brief thaw  in U.S.-Cuban relations, frozen since the Cold War, but the  country has long chafed at being included on the U.S. “state  sponsors of terrorism” list since 1982.

Raul Castro took over the Cuban presidency in 2008 from his  ailing brother and leader of the Cuban revolution Fidel Castro,  promising modest reforms.

The Rio Group, including regional giants Mexico and Brazil,  agreed to form a new Latin American diplomatic group that could  eventually be an alternative to the Organization of American  States.

The OAS last year lifted a 47-year suspension on Cuba, but  Havana says it is not interested in rejoining the body, which  includes the United States and promotes democracy.