By Alejandra Garcia and Bill Hackwell on April 10, 2025
Honduran President Xiomara Castro opens the 9th Celac Summit
In a historic day, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) met for the 9th occasion in Tegucigalpa, Honduras to address crucial issues impacting the region. Among the global challenges discussed, the leaders highlighted the tariff war driven by U.S. President Donald Trump, which has put world economies at risk, threatening with a potential recession that will be most severely felt by the poorer countries of the world.
CELAC leaders also focused their discussion on economic and trade cooperation, climate emergency, food security, the fight against poverty, energy transition and inclusion in areas such as technology, education and health. In addition, the rights of indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples, migration, peace and the fight against corruption were also addressed.
Among the heads of state and government present at the summit there were prominent figures including president of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel; the Colombian president, Gustavo Petro; the president of Uruguay, Yamandú Orsi; the president of Bolivia, Luis Arce, the president of Brazil Lula de Silva, Mexico president Claudia Sheinbaum, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, alongside other regional leaders. In total, 12 out of the 33 leaders from the member states, gathered in the Juan Manuel Gálvez Hall of the Central Bank of Honduras (BCH) to begin the discussions.
“CELAC should be a tool for emancipation, for sovereign cooperation, for environmental justice, for democratic socialism and for self-determination,” said the President of Honduras, Xiomara Castro, at the opening of the meeting.
During her speech, the president proposed a debate on the new international order imposed by the United States, in particular on the tariff and immigration policies of the current White House administration.
“Today migrants are being expelled en masse from the United States. In the face of this challenge, CELAC must be respected,” she declared before a dozen dignitaries.
On the role of the mechanism in this scenario, Castro continued: ”CELAC is not a perfect organization, but it is ours, born of a dream, an ideal and a utopia of our liberators and heroes.”
She also called for Latin America and the Caribbean to be declared a Zone of Peace, and demanded an end to the aggression against the people of Palestine and an end to the blockade against Cuba.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum arriving to the CELAC Summit
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum who has been standing up to Trump by making it clear that Mexico, that has to contend daily with the US empire on their critical common border, will no longer be subservient to the dictates of the White House. The Mexican president challenged the CELAC leaders assembled to make the the meeting a “Summit of Well being of Latin America and the Caribbean” in order to make greater regional intergration a reality.” Sheinbaum went on to advocate for enhanced economic integration between countries such as Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Guatemala, Honduras and Jamaica on the basis of “shared prosperity and respect for our sovereignties.”
Sheinbaum highlighted that the combined and “still young” population of Latin America and the Caribbean “reaches 663 million people,” while the region’s GDP is “around US $6.6 trillion.”
“We are the world’s leading net exporter of food,” she added.
“Our land is still fertile. … We have more than 30% of the planet’s primary forests, 33% of its fresh water, almost 20% of global oil reserves, at least 25% of strategic mineral [reserves], and we’re capable of building development with justice and care for the environment. The Latin American and Caribbean people are united by history, culture and the geography of a continent that extends over two hemispheres and between two oceans. Trade and economic exchange have united us for centuries,” Sheinbaum said.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz Canel, photo: Alejandro Azcuy
In his address Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, echoed the urgency of the Summit when he asked the delegations not to delay any longer “the integration dreamed of and fought for from Bolívar to the present day by the bravest sons and daughters of Our American.”
The final Tegucigalpa Declaration reaffirmed the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace, emphasizing respect for the Charter of the United Nations and International Law. It underscored the importance of international cooperation, democracy, the rule of law, multilateralism and the promotion of all human rights. The text also rejected unilateral coercive measures that contravene international law, including restrictions on international trade.
During the summit, Honduras handed over the pro tempore presidency of CELAC to Colombia. In his first speech as leader of the organization, Gustavo Petro proposed the creation of teams in specific areas to address conflicts, deepen democracy and foster integration. He suggested the formation of a working group to articulate military and police efforts in the region, arguing that the fight against organized crime and climate crises require a coordinated response.
In addition, Petro highlighted the need to implement a Latin American and Caribbean strategy towards Haiti, as well as to seek solutions to the blockades imposed by the United States on Cuba and Venezuela. He proposed the creation of groups focused on concrete objectives, such as the development of clean energy, a drug agency, Artificial Intelligence, the fiber optic network, and digital development.
Most of the delegations present reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening CELAC as a mechanism for political coordination that integrates all the countries of the region, based on the declarations adopted at previous summits. This meeting not only reaffirms the commitment of Latin America and the Caribbean to peace, but also establishes a path towards cooperation and sustainable development in a challenging global context.
The Summit was held under the shadow of the Trump administration and its wild tariffs that can only benefit a tiny sliver of billionaires. His predatory designs on Latin America and the Caribbean added an atmosphere of particular urgency for the CELAC nations to unify in mutually beneficial co operation; more than ever.
Resumen is adding here the principled position of Nicaragua in defense of the principles of CELAC
NICARAGUA DEFENDS HISTORICAL PRINCIPLES OF CELAC
In an interview in Estudio TN8, Nicaragua’s Foreign Minister, Valdrack Jaentschke, addressed the Ninth Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), held this week in Honduras, where it was not possible to adopt a final declaration due to the lack of consensus… Jaentschke highlighted Nicaragua’s firm position in defense of the founding principles of CELAC, created in 2011 as a space for regional unity without external interference… The Chancellor explained that CELAC’s principles are non-interference from abroad, condemnation of unilateral coercive measures, rejection of the blockade against Cuba and recognition of Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace and development… These foundations have marked the direction of the organization…
At the summit, Honduras presented a proposed declaration with 75 points which Nicaragua initially supported as reflecting the historic ideals of CELAC, including issues such as migration, inhumane treatment of migrants, condemnation of extortion against countries receiving Cuban health support, and reparations for the transatlantic slave trade…. However, Jaentschke pointed out that a minority group of countries, led by Argentina and Paraguay, pushed for a dilution of the text, eliminating references to sensitive issues such as the blockade of Cuba, the sanctions against Venezuela, the genocide in Gaza and the leading role of women, in an attempt to make the declaration potable but removed from the regional reality… Nicaragua, together with other countries, rejected this dismantled version because it contravenes the principle of moving forward without going backwards in previous agreements…
He affirmed that the determination of the co-presidents of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo is that “we cannot go backwards”, criticizing the concept of “sufficient consensus” promoted by the pro tempore presidency, which does not exist in the rules of CELAC, where consensus requires the approval of all members… The lack of agreement resulted in the absence of an official declaration, a fact that the Chancellor attributed to the obstruction of “extreme right-wing” positions that seek to denaturalize CELAC… Despite the impasse, Jaentschke valued the rich debate generated at the summit, which included topics such as security, stability, agriculture, technology, artificial intelligence and solidarity with Haiti. He proposed that the pro tempore presidency, which will pass to Colombia for the tenth summit in 2026, should gather these discussions in a report as a basis for future progress…
“The peoples want to see their governments defending their sovereignty, independence and self-determination,” he emphasized… Nicaragua reaffirmed its commitment to CELAC as the only regional forum free from external influences, urging not to give in to attempts to dilute its essence…. “We will not allow ourselves to be blackmailed by two countries that object to everything”, concluded Jaentschke, stressing the need to maintain courage and coherence in addressing the great challenges of the region and insisting that Nicaragua will maintain its principles in all international forums…
Source: Resumen Latinoamericano – English