Honduras expects to receive 33 representatives at the upcoming annual meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), a regional organization founded on December 3, 2011, in Caracas, Venezuela. Since 2013, member countries have held annual summits in various locations, except for 2022.
According to the president of Honduras, Xiomara Castro, the meeting, to be held on Wednesday, April 9, signifies “a step towards the unity of Latin America and the Caribbean, facing global challenges such as climate change, drug trafficking, and migration.” CELAC was created to foster regional unity in the face of the most pressing geopolitical challenges, as well as create an alternative to the US-dominated Organization of American States (OAS).
This is likely why the governments most invested in CELAC’s growth have been the progressive and left-wing governments of the region. Right-wing governments (except in specific cases) have responded to the strengthening of the organization with indifference, suspicion, and even rejection. In 2020, the government of the right-wing Jair Bolsonaro decided to withdraw from the agreement. It was not until 2023 that the progressive government of Lula da Silva requested Brazil’s reincorporation into CELAC.
The presidents who have announced their attendance to the summit include:
- Lula da Silva (Brazil)
- Luis Arce (Bolivia)
- Leslie Voltaire (Haiti)
- Claudia Sheinbaum (Mexico)
- Gustavo Petro (Colombia)
- Bernardo Arévalo (Guatemala)
- Yamandú Orsi (Uruguay)
- Miguel Díaz-Canel (Cuba)
- Xiomara Castro (Honduras) – the host
The remaining countries will send foreign ministers, prime ministers, or high-level representatives.
What are the key topics on the agenda?
For now, it seems that the discussion and potential agreements will revolve around Donald Trump’s foreign policy. Specifically, his immigration policies and the recent tariff measures that Washington has imposed and that are hitting the region hard, whose trading partner, in most countries, is the United States.
This is the opinion of International Relations Specialist Erick Fernandez, who states: “The context in which the meeting is taking place is marked by the Trump administration’s measures that put Latin America and the Caribbean in a condition of paying minimum tariffs of 10%, and even more in the case of Nicaragua (18%) and Venezuela (15%). Therefore, this meeting, beyond the original purpose that has to do with building and maintaining peace in the region, will have an important statement among the countries that agree on tariffs and migration.”
What measures will CELAC countries seek to promote?
On the relevance of the meeting, the President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, said: “It is an important moment to talk about the unity of Latin America and the Caribbean, not only with the presidents that we are progressive, but because of the importance of expanding the relationship [between the countries] of Latin America and the Caribbean. We are a region with enormous potential and very similar cultures. This is part of what I will raise at the meeting.”
Read more: Progressive leaders chart new path for region at CELAC summit
For his part, Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who will receive the pro tempore presidency of CELAC, posted on X: “I will receive the presidency of the Economic Community of Latin America and the Caribbean. CELAC. I will prioritize the electrical interconnection of all the Americas with clean energy. I will seek an end to the genocide in Gaza.”
The Brazilian government, through its spokeswoman Gisela Padovan, announced that it will propose that CELAC member countries jointly put forward a candidate for the United Nations Secretary-General position, which will be renewed in 2026.
There are also thorny issues on which no major agreements are expected, such as:
- a possible joint position on the situation in Gaza
- the recognition of the Venezuelan government of Nicolás Maduro
- a collective statement regarding Venezuelan migrants deported to El Salvador, a CELAC member country
The meeting is certain to showcase both the shared aspirations of the region, and the ongoing challenges of forging true regional unity. As we await the outcome of the discussions, it’s clear that many leaders are arriving with ambitious proposals, and that the summit offers a unique opportunity to build consensus and advance a shared vision for Latin America and the Caribbean.
