It was a 52-point statement designed for all tastes. It was an inevitable bet. Convincing 58 countries from two continents to agree required clear diplomatic ability. Overall, there was more than expected, although Venezuela and Nicaragua decided at the last minute not to sign. The fourth summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the European Union (EU) concluded with calls to strengthen multilateralism, a veiled criticism of US policy against drug trafficking in the Caribbean, a defense of “free and transparent elections” without naming Venezuela, references to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and a request to reduce global “trade tensions”, i.e. Trump’s tariffs.
Antonio Costa, President of the European Council, said: “58 countries were able to reach an agreement through dialogue. This declaration shows the importance of multilateral dialogue.” Host president Gustavo Pietro insisted on the idea. He said during the presentation of the document, “The first message is that we are working to deepen multilateralism with the aim of building common solutions. In these 52 points we show that it is possible to agree on differences.” Uruguay, which will assume the next presidency Temporary timer The Group of Latin American and Caribbean States, through its advisor Mario Lubetkin, committed to developing a roadmap “to enable progress in concrete terms and not just in data” on the points of agreement.
Trump’s shadow hovered over the entire summit. The missile attacks that the Republican has been launching for two months against boats that he accuses of transporting drugs deserve special mention in the document. “We address the importance of maritime security and regional stability in the Caribbean,” the document says, without mentioning the United States by name. Trump was also present, but not present, in the chapter on trade, where the blocs call for “a rules-based multilateral system, based on international law, that is open, transparent, inclusive, non-discriminatory and predictable, and at its core the World Trade Organization.” The text talks about “trade tensions” and the need to reduce them in order to “facilitate international trade and improve market access.”
There was also a letter to the White House in the environmental chapter. If Trump denies climate change, the EU and CELAC countries call for recognition of “the need for significant, rapid and sustainable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.”
The blocs also called for reform of the UN Security Council to “make it more representative,” a long-standing desire of Brazil, Latin America’s largest economy. There were references to the war in Gaza, with defense of the two-state solution, and “a profound reference to the ongoing war against Ukraine, which continues to cause enormous human suffering.” In the chapter devoted to immigration, the blocs agreed to “strengthen cooperation in management, including returns,” in reference to Trump’s expulsion policy.
The declaration did not mention any country by name, but the intention was clear to put white on black in countries considered conflicting, such as Venezuela or Nicaragua. “We reiterate our firm commitment to democracy, including holding free, inclusive, transparent and credible elections,” the statement read.
Lula was particularly harsh in his description of the regional situation. “Latin America and the Caribbean are going through a deep crisis in their integration project,” the Brazilian said. “We have once again become a divided and balkanized region, more outwardly focused than inwardly focused. We once again live under the threat of political extremism, manipulation of information and organized crime. As a result, we live from one meeting to the next, full of ideas and initiatives that often never come to fruition. Our summits have become empty rituals, with the absence of key regional leaders.”
It was a snapshot of Lula’s rise to those who made the mistake on Sunday. In Latin America, there were only two important presidents, the host, Gustavo Petro, and Lula himself. Countries such as Argentina, Paraguay, El Salvador and Peru sent very low-level representations, or were completely absent, as did Ecuador. Their foreign ministers represented Mexico, Chile and Uruguay. On the European side, the absence of the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, was the strongest blow to the organization. The most important attendees were Costa, representing the Council, and the President of Spain, Pedro Sanchez. Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro; And his Dutch counterpart, Dick Schoof.
Despite everything, the final document exceeded the organizers’ expectations. However, the meeting was also a political message. Antonio Costa had already warned of this when he co-hosted the summit at the beginning of the summit. “Although there are countries here with very different ideological orientations, we have been able to reach a common position on the most important issues of the moment,” he said.
Pedro Sanchez has made efforts alongside Lula to promote the success of the summit. They both consider this to be the right time to strengthen the bilateral alliance between the blocs that will serve as a barrier to Trump’s policies. The far right is also making progress in countries such as Argentina, with Javier Miley, and Chile, where opinion polls give Republican candidate Jose Antonio Cast serious odds of winning the first presidential round next Sunday. In Bolivia, the collapse of Evo Morales’ movement toward socialism left the left with no viable alternatives after twenty years of dominance. Venezuela has long ceased to be a regional reference for so-called “twenty-first century socialism.”
In this fragmented scenario, commitment to multilateralism poses a major challenge. “If two years ago the EU/CLAC summit represented a political priority, today it has become a geostrategic necessity,” Sanchez said, referring to the event that in 2023 brought together most of the top regional leaders from both blocs in Brussels. The Spanish President said: “The challenges we face – such as violations of international law in Gaza or Ukraine, attacks on free trade, and the weakening of global governance – affect us all. Europe and Latin America can and must be a beacon of stability, prosperity and openness in this uncertain time full of risks.”
The idea of the lighthouse was repeated. In addition to Sanchez, Petro used him in his opening. Costa spoke of sending a “signal” from Santa Marta. It all turns out very harmoniously with the summit held on the shores of the Caribbean Sea.
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