Regional Leaders Advocate Solidarity Against Trade Disputes and Mass Expulsions During CELAC Assembly
In a bustling April in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, the Latin American and Caribbean presidents gathered for the IX Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) summit, shaking up the global political scene with unyielding stances against U.S. foreign policy. This high-stakes, star-studded event held on the 9th of April was led by Honduran President Xiomara Castro, who handed over CELAC's pro-tempore presidency to her Colombian counterpart Gustavo Petro.
The event drew participants from all 33 member states. In the face of Donald Trump's administration's aggressive economic sanctions, tariffs, and their clampdown on migration, the leaders acknowledged the importance of unity and solidarity in delivering collective responses.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro firmly expressed his opinion, "CELAC could accomplish a lot if we raise a single voice, together in a powerful bloc with proposals and common actions." In response to the looming threats, Maduro reiterated his call for CELAC to reinvent itself, reinforcing the need to counter renewed "imperialist domination" from the U.S.
Brazil's President Luiz Inácio "Lula" da Silva echoed similar sentiments, urging the region to set aside differences in light of the present moment, as he argued that the strong Economies are the bulwark against these unilateral attacks.
Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum underscored the need for unity and solidarity, advocating for joint initiatives in trade, research and development.
The CELAC summit concluded with a resolute statement, standing firm on the organization's principles, its resistance towards unilateral coercive measures, and a promise to present united positions in international forums. Remarkably, 30 out of the 33 member states endorsed this stance, with Argentina, Paraguay, and Nicaragua abstaining. The dissenting countries expressed concerns over the omission of an explicit defense for Cuba, Venezuela, and Palestine in the final position.
In a significant move, the summit also addressed the intensified U.S. crackdown on migration. "We reject racism, human rights violations, and the criminalization of Latin American immigrants," Sheinbaum asserted in her speech. The burning issue of migration needed to be tackled by exploring its underlying causes, she argued.
Migration was particularly targeted towards Venezuelan immigrants during the second term of Donald Trump's administration. The White House's use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act drew significant controversy, eventually clearing the way for Venezuelans to be detained under the pretense of Tren de Aragua gang threats.
The Trump administration skirted court orders, secretively deporting Venezuelans to a controversial anti-terrorism prison in El Salvador, as revealed by subsequent investigations that exposed the large majority of Venezuelan detainees had no criminal record in the U.S.
Venezuela welcomed two additional flights carrying deported nationals last week, bringing the total of repatriated migrants from the U.S. to over 2,500 since February. This unfortunate exodus included 35 Venezuelans who had allegedly been detained in the Guantánamo Bay base.
Caribbean authorities assured that the vast majority of returnees had no criminal records or outstanding international arrest warrants in Venezuela.
Prepared by Cira Pascual Marquina in Caracas.
- The Venezuelan President, Nicholas Maduro, emphasized the importance of CELAC uniting as a powerful bloc to counter imperialist domination, particularly in light of war-and-conflicts, policy-and-legislation, and politics related to war-and-conflicts and migration.
- During the II Summit of CELAC, the leaders condemned the use of coercive migration policies and human rights violations, with Mexico's President, Claudia Sheinbaum, arguing that the underlying causes of migration needed to be addressed in general-news coverage.
- In 2025, migration was particularly targeted towards Venezuelan immigrants during the second term of Donald Trump's administration, with the White House employing the 1795 Alien Enemies Act to detain Venezuelans under the pretense of Tren de Aragua gang threats and secretly deporting them to a controversial anti-terrorism prison in El Salvador.
- The CELAC summit expressed concerns over the omission of explicit defenses for countries like Venezuela in the final position, with Argentina, Paraguay, and Nicaragua abstaining from the statement.
- In contrast to the Trump administration's coercive migration policies, the leaders of CELAC championed initiatives promoting unity, solidarity, and joint actions in areas such as trade, research, and development.
