Several European leaders have canceled their participation in an EU-CELAC summit in Santa Marta, citing concerns over U.S. President Donald Trump’s escalating actions in the region, according to reports. The event, scheduled for next week, faces significant setbacks as key figures including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen opt out.
The withdrawals follow Trump’s recent sanctions against Colombian President Gustavo Petro and his order for U.S. military strikes on suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean. The European Commission cited a “current agenda” as the reason for von der Leyen’s absence, while Berlin and Paris provided similar justifications. A senior Latin American official described the cancellations as “very complicated,” with only five European leaders and three Latin American and Caribbean counterparts confirmed to attend.
Trump has intensified U.S. naval presence in the Caribbean, framing it as a campaign against drug trafficking and pressure on Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. The move deepens tensions with Colombia, where Petro accused Washington of undermining the summit. “The new anti-democratic fossil geopolitics is trying to stop the peoples who want freedom and democracy from meeting,” he wrote on X.
Colombian Deputy Foreign Minister Mauricio Jaramillo dismissed claims of isolation, stating the cancellations were unrelated to U.S. actions. Brazil’s Lula da Silva and Spain’s Pedro Sanchez are expected to attend, with European Council President Antonio Costa set to co-chair the gathering. The summit aims to address trade ties and organized crime across 50 nations representing 21% of global GDP.
