In a powerful display of South-South and inter-bloc solidarity, Latin American and European leaders have used a major summit to issue a firm call for peace and dialogue, directly challenging escalating US military aggression in the Caribbean.
KATHMANDU – In a stark rebuke to Washington’s foreign policy, the third summit between the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the European Union (EU) concluded this week with a resounding call for adherence to international law and an end to military threats, positioning multilateralism against what leaders termed “imperialist” and “authoritarian” criteria.
The summit, held in Santa Marta, Colombia on November 9-10, served as a crucial platform for Global South leaders to voice their opposition to the United States’ recent military buildup near Venezuela and its campaign of extrajudicial strikes.
“We reiterate our opposition to the threat or use of force and to any action that is not in accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations,” stated the joint communiqué, a document whose language reflects a significant diplomatic victory for Latin American nations against US pressure.
The political context for the summit is the Trump administration’s escalating “Maximum Pressure” campaign against Venezuela. Under the pretext of combating drug trafficking, the US has amassed warships, aircraft, and thousands of troops in the Caribbean Sea. Since early September, US forces have reportedly struck 20 vessels, killing 76 civilians in what United Nations experts have labeled potential extrajudicial executions.
Leaders Decry “Recycled” Imperialism, Boycott Attempts
The summit’s most powerful statements came from the leaders of Latin America’s resurgent left.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva delivered a sharp critique, stating, “The threat to use military force has returned in Latin America and the Caribbean. Old rhetorical maneuvers are being recycled to justify illegal operations.” His words highlighted a regional consensus that Washington’s “narcoterrorism” charges against Caracas are a thinly veiled pretext for regime change, a claim bolstered by UN and DEA data that contradicts the White House’s narrative.
Colombian President and host Gustavo Petro celebrated the summit as a “great success,” revealing that the US had pressured some countries to boycott the event—a tactic that ultimately failed. “Sovereignty and multilateralism must be respected above any kind of authoritarian or imperial criteria,” Petro declared, urging CELAC and the EU to form a “unified beacon” against “any kind of barbarism.”
Venezuela and Nicaragua Reject Final Declaration
While the summit demonstrated unity on broad principles, it also revealed fractures. The final joint declaration was not signed by Nicaragua and Venezuela. Caracas, represented by Foreign Minister Yván Gil, delivered a letter from President Nicolás Maduro explaining its opposition.
“The principles of national sovereignty and self-determination are at stake today,” Maduro’s letter stated. “Venezuela will not accept the imposition of the old Monroe Doctrine that looks to unleash regime-change coups in the continent to take over natural resources.” The letter condemned the US boat strikes as UN-denounced executions that must be “investigated and condemned.”
Peoples’ Movements Forge a Front from Below
Parallel to the official summit, a two-day gathering of Latin American and Caribbean social movements brought together hundreds of activists, trade unionists, and community organizers. This “Social Summit of the Peoples” produced a radical declaration expressing solidarity with Palestine, denouncing the threats against Venezuela, and pledging to fight for social justice.
Anaís Márquez, a member of a Venezuelan commune, told media that the meeting was vital for building integration “from the peoples’ perspective.”
Their final statement read: “The joint work between Latin American and Caribbean governments and peoples is the first line of defense of our continental sovereignty… This III Social Summit of the Peoples is a step toward defending our continent as a zone of peace in the face of imperialist threats.”
A Message for the Global South
For international observers in Nepal and across the Global South, the CELAC-EU summit serves as a critical case study. It illustrates a world increasingly pushing back against unilateralism, where middle powers and regional blocs are asserting a multipolar vision of international relations. The events in Santa Marta underscore that the battle for sovereignty—whether in the Himalayas or the Caribbean—is increasingly fought not just on the ground, but in the diplomatic halls where the language of peace, law, and multilateralism is wielded against the rhetoric of force and coercion.
This article is based on reporting from Venezuela Analysis and includes context from international news agencies. It is presented for the readers of Online Peoples News Nepal to highlight developing world solidarity against imperialist aggression.