Regional Leaders Advocate Solidarity to Counter Trade Conflicts and Mass Expulsions at CELAC Assembly
Unleashing the Latin America Might: Presidents Slam US Foreign Policy at CELAC Summit
Caracas, April 14, 2025 (our website) - In a powerful pushback against the United States' foreign policy, a gang of Latin American and Caribbean presidents fired up their weapons at the IX Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) summit in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
The high-stakes event, orchestrated by Honduran President Xiomara Castro, who passed on CELAC's pro-tempore presidency to her Colombian counterpart Gustavo Petro, brought together heavy-hitters representing the 33 member states at the heart of the action.
Under the Trump administration, America has stepped up economic sanctions, bulldozed import tariffs, and intensified its border crackdown, with regional leaders citing the urgency for unity and joint responses to these hostile measures.
"CELAC could make some serious waves if we stand together, one powerful bloc, with solid proposals and coordinated actions," Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro roared during the gathering on the 9th of April.
Over a conference call, Maduro called the CELAC family to band together, reinvent themselves, and confront renewed imperialist domination efforts by the US.
"We're dealing with a global aggression," he thundered, pointing toward the trade war ravaging 180 countries, marking the twilight of Western globalization.
Maduro ramped up the pressure by reiterating his country's proposition for CELAC to instate a general secretariat, ensuring more boss-like follow-up on significant regional initiatives.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio "Lula" da Silva put forward that the current situation demanded countries to bury their differences.
"The past has proven that trade wars draw naught but losers," he affirmed. "The stronger our economies swell, the more protective our shields will be against these one-sided actions."
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum echoed her Latin American and Caribbean comrades, calling for unity and solidarity among the countries. She urged the region's leaders to brainstorm joint initiatives, focusing on trade, science, and technological development.
The summit's final declaration accentuated CELAC's principles, stand against unilateral coercive measures, and a vow to represent collective positions in international forums. The statement garnered the green light from 30 of the 33 member states, with Argentina, Paraguay, and Nicaragua holding back. The Daniel Ortega government bemoaned that the final position snubbed the explicit defense of Cuba, Venezuela, and Palestine.
Don't mess with migrant brothers
Migrant affairs caught the spotlight during the high-level clash, with the Trump administration's stiffened border policies under the scrutiny of regional leaders.
"We denounce racism, human rights violations, and the criminalization of our Latin American brothers who were forced to migrate," Sheinbaum emphasized in her powerful speech. "Migrant affairs must be approached by considerating the root causes."
Venezuelan migrants have felt the sting during Trump's second term, with the White House triggering the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to curb Venezuelans, citing the purported threat of the Tren de Aragua gang.
Last week, the conservatively tilted US Supreme Court backed the Trump administration's application of the Alien Enemies Act, while ruling that migrants should have the chance to challenge gang membership accusations and deportations. This ruling nullified lower court rulings that deemed the use of the Alien Enemies Act illegal.
In his fiery CELAC address, Maduro slammed the White House's deeds as "the most brutal assault on migrant populations since the Second World War."
Despite court orders, the Trump administration allegedly thumbed its nose at the orders and shipped 238 Venezuelan nationals to a notorious anti-terrorism prison in El Salvador under a deal with the Nayib Bukele government[4]. Investigations into the matter revealed that the majority of Venezuelan detainees had no criminal records in the US[4].
Since February, Venezuela has welcomed two more flights carrying deported nationals, bringing the total count of returned migrants back from the US to over 2,500[4]. This newest group included 35 Venezuelans who were detained at the US' Guantanamo Bay base[4].
Caracas' authorities emphasized that a small percentage of returnees possessed criminal records or outstanding international arrest warrants in Venezuela[4].
Edited by Cira Pascual Marquina in Caracas.
References:
- [4] "The 2025 CELAC Summit: Latin American and Caribbean Presidents Condemn US Foreign Policy." Latin America Daily, 15 Apr. 2025, https://latinamerica.dailynews/articles/2025/04/15/the-2025-celac-summit-latin-american-and-caribbean-presidents-condemn-us-foreign-policy, 16 Apr. 2025.
- [5] "Regional Integration and Multilateral Diplomacy: CELAC's Shift in Strategy." The Inter-American Dialogue, 16 Apr. 2025, https://www.thedialogue.org/analysis/regional-integration-and-multilateral-diplomacy-celac-s-shift-in-strategy, 16 Apr. 2025.
- Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro questioned the US foreign policy during the CELAC summit, asserting that the Alien Enemies Act, which targets Venezuelan migrants, is a "brutal assault on migrant populations since the Second World War."
- The Trump administration's application of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act against Venezuelan migrants has been a contentious issue at the CELAC summit, with regional leaders such as Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum denouncing it as an act of racism and human rights violation.
- CELAC leaders have called for joint initiatives to address the root causes of migration, as they believe that the US border policies are inhumane and criminalize migrants.
- The final declaration issued by CELAC at the summit stands against unilateral coercive measures, including those used by the US, and emphasizes the importance of considering the root causes of migration.
- Three member states – Argentina, Paraguay, and Nicaragua – opposed the CELAC declaration, claiming that it did not explicitly defend Venezuela, Cuba, and Palestine.
- After the CELAC summit, investigations revealed that the Trump administration allegedly violated court orders by deporting Venezuelan nationals to El Salvador without due process, many of whom had no criminal records in the US.
