US Military Operation Casts Shadow Over EU-Latin America Summit

A high-level meeting between European, Latin American, and Caribbean nations is underway in Colombia, explicitly designed to strengthen bilateral ties. However, the entire summit is being overshadowed by deep divisions across the Western Hemisphere concerning a deadly US military operation targeting alleged drug-carrying vessels. The relevance of the two-day summit, hosted by the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the European Union, has been called into question even before discussions began, due to the notable absence of several key heads of state and senior officials, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The US operation, which has been active in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific, has reportedly resulted in the deaths of over 60 people since September. This military action has drawn fierce condemnation from the summit’s host, Colombian President Gustavo Petro. He has publicly labeled the deaths as “extrajudicial executions” and confirmed that at least one Colombian citizen is among the deceased, with another Colombian national being one of only two known survivors of the attacks. This issue is now poised to dominate the discussions, regardless of the official agenda.
Colombian officials have attempted to mitigate the diplomatic fallout from the low turnout, attributing the high-profile absences to scheduling conflicts with an upcoming United Nations climate summit. To bolster the summit’s significance, they have highlighted the confirmed attendance of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and, in a recent surprise announcement, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Despite these efforts, the focus remains stubbornly fixed on the regional security crisis precipitated by the US strikes.
Officially, the Colombian hosts are pushing for attendees to sign the “Declaration of Santa Marta,” the coastal city hosting the event. This declaration focuses on crucial areas of cooperation, including renewable energy, enhanced food security, sustainable financing models, and technological cooperation. Yet, policy experts and diplomats alike anticipate that the pressing issue of the US military deployment will inevitably become the central point of debate, particularly given President Petro’s vocal opposition.
The geopolitical dynamics are further complicated by Brazil’s positioning. Brazilian officials confirmed that the topic of US President Donald Trump’s threats against Venezuela, alongside the recent boat strikes, will be a “natural topic” at the summit, likely brought forward by the Venezuelan delegation. Lula’s attendance is seen as a gesture of regional solidarity, and he has recently engaged in direct diplomacy, revealing he urged Trump during a meeting in Malaysia to adopt a peaceful approach, citing former President George W. Bush’s role in pacifying Venezuela after the 2002 coup attempt.