The European Union (EU) is aiming to revive its relations with Latin America during an upcoming summit with the region’s leaders. However, various challenges have hindered progress, including delays in trade deals and discord over the Ukraine conflict, leading to eight years without a high-level meeting between the two blocs.
Concerned about China’s increasing economic influence in Latin America, and eager to secure access to crucial minerals, the EU seeks to convince leaders from Latin American and Caribbean countries that they should be natural partners. However, the trade deal between the EU and the South American Mercosur bloc remains stalled, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will not be addressing the summit due to objections from some Latin American nations.
Brazil and Mexico prefer a more neutral stance on the Ukraine war, while Cuba and Venezuela are close allies of Russia. Many governments in the region would rather see Europe pushing for peace talks instead of providing more weapons to Kyiv. The pre-summit discussions have also been challenging, with some Latin American nations attempting to remove language condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and proposing a demand for reparations related to the transatlantic slave trade.
The summit comes after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s recent tour of Latin America, where she met with presidents from Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and Chile. She pledged increased funding from Europe’s infrastructure program, Global Gateway, though the amounts are significantly smaller than Chinese loans to the region. While Latin American nations appreciate Europe’s increased attention, they expressed concern that the initial summit agenda seemed focused on European interests, such as securing critical minerals, rather than addressing the region’s pressing issues, like poverty and inequality.
Despite the difficulties in preparation, EU diplomats remain optimistic about the summit’s outcome, with plans for more regular top-level discussions on trade, climate, and development every two years. However, a breakthrough on the EU-Mercosur trade agreement is not expected, as concerns about deforestation have stalled its ratification. Moreover, some of the EU’s proposals lack economic weight compared to China’s substantial financial contributions to the region.
While leaders like Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel are likely to attend, the participation of problematic figures such as Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro remains uncertain. Nicaragua’s human rights situation is also expected to be a topic of discussion during the summit.
Despite disagreements and challenges, the EU sees the summit as a significant step toward revitalizing relations and forging stronger ties with Latin America after years of neglect.