Colombian officials are championing the “Declaration of Santa Marta” as the intended centerpiece of a major summit with European, Latin American, and Caribbean nations. This ambitious declaration is designed to map out a future of cooperation built on renewable energy, technological exchange, sustainable financing, and enhanced food security. However, this entire forward-looking agenda is at risk of being completely ignored as the summit is consumed by a pressing security crisis.
The crisis stems from a US military operation in the Caribbean and Pacific that has resulted in over 60 deaths since September. The operation, which ostensibly targets drug-carrying vessels, has ignited a political firestorm. The summit’s host, Colombian President Gustavo Petro, has become the operation’s most high-profile critic, publicly labeling the deaths as “extrajudicial executions” and confirming Colombian nationals are among the dead and survivors.
This explosive issue has already overshadowed the summit’s diplomatic preparations. The event is marked by the high-profile absences of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Colombia’s Foreign Ministry has attempted to downplay this, blaming scheduling conflicts with a UN climate summit, but the lack of top-tier European engagement makes it difficult to build momentum for the lofty goals of the Santa Marta Declaration.
The attendance of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, while a welcome boost, is also steering the conversation away from the official agenda. Brazilian officials have been clear that Lula’s visit is a show of “regional solidarity with Venezuela,” a nation facing separate military threats from US President Donald Trump. This focus ensures that regional security, not renewable energy, will be the primary concern for the powerful South American bloc.
Experts and diplomats acknowledge the clash of priorities. While the declaration on energy and food security is on the table, Brazilian Ambassador Gisela Padovan stated that the US military actions are a “natural topic” that “will come up.” With the host nation demanding answers for its dead citizens and the region’s largest power focused on US threats, the declaration on renewables faces an uphill battle to be more than just a footnote.