Venezuela and US Strikes: Twin Crises Hijack EU-CELAC Agenda

A major summit between European and Latin American nations is being hijacked by a pair of interlocking security crises, both involving the United States. The official agenda in Santa Marta, Colombia, was meant to focus on economic cooperation, renewable energy, and food security. Instead, the discussions are set to be dominated by US military threats against Venezuela and a deadly US anti-drug operation in the Caribbean.
The first crisis has been intentionally elevated by Brazil. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, in a surprise move, decided to attend the summit. His foreign ministry stated the visit is a direct show of “regional solidarity with Venezuela,” which has faced threats of military action from US President Donald Trump. Brazilian diplomats have confirmed this will be a “natural topic” of discussion, ensuring it is a key agenda item.
The second crisis is being championed by the host nation itself. Colombian President Gustavo Petro has fiercely condemned a separate US military operation that has killed over 60 people on alleged drug vessels. Petro, whose own citizens are among the dead and survivors, has called the deaths “extrajudicial executions.” This places the host in the position of lead critic against the US.
These twin crises are reinforcing each other, creating a powerful anti-interventionist narrative. The summit, which notably excludes the US, is thus becoming a forum for Latin American leaders to unite against US military actions in their hemisphere. This focus has been amplified by Lula, who recently told reporters he urged President Trump in a private meeting to seek a peaceful, diplomatic solution in Venezuela.
This united front on security has left the summit’s original purpose in the lurch. The “Declaration of Santa Marta” on energy and technology is being overshadowed. Furthermore, the absence of high-profile European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, has weakened the EU’s ability to steer the conversation back to the planned economic and environmental topics.