President Joe Biden arrived in Los Angeles, Wednesday, joining the Summit of the Americas taking place at the L.A. Convention Center until June 10.

Before leaving for Los Angeles, Biden wrote on Twitter that he wanted to use the summit to focus on strengthening our bonds with western countries attending, as well as climate change and immigration.

I'm on my way to Los Angeles to host the Ninth Summit of the Americas, Biden said Wednesday morning. I look forward to working with leaders from across the Western Hemisphere to strengthen our bonds and to address our core challenges ? from economic prosperity and climate change to migration and COVID-19.

The summit began on June 6 and involves leaders from several North, South, and Central American countries, including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Colombia.

Not attending will be Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, along with leaders from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, citing a protest over the U.S. decision to exclude Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua from the summit.

We just don't believe dictators should be invited, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday during a briefing. We don't regret that and the President will stand by his principle.

Around 7:30 PST, President Biden is expected to preview the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity agreement, which the White House said will, drive our hemisphere's economy recovery and growth, and deliver for our working people.