The upcoming EU–CELAC summit, intended to revive cooperation between Europe and Latin America, is instead highlighting growing transatlantic fractures, as top European leaders skip the event amid renewed geopolitical tension driven by U.S. President Donald Trump’s foreign policy posture.

Set to take place in Bogotá, the summit brings together members of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the European Union. But this year’s gathering — only the third of its kind in over a decade — will see the absence of key European heads of state, including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Annalena Baerbock, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Their absence, diplomats say, reflects “strategic caution” as Latin American governments increasingly align or clash with Washington’s new hardline stance on trade, migration, and climate policy.

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A Diplomatic Chill Beneath the Surface

European officials had hoped the summit would reaffirm EU–Latin American trade and environmental cooperation, particularly following the collapse of the Mercosur–EU trade deal earlier this year. Instead, the meeting has been overshadowed by Trump’s escalating rhetoric toward Colombia and Washington’s renewed pressure on regional governments to isolate Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro.

Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro, hosting the summit, accused the U.S. of “treating Latin America like an appendage” and called for a “sovereign path independent of superpower politics.”

“Europe’s silence is as telling as America’s noise,” said a senior Colombian diplomat. “By skipping this meeting, Europe is signalling indecision at a moment when Latin America wants to diversify its partnerships.”

The absence of EU leadership, sources add, also stems from internal divisions over whether to confront or accommodate Trump’s foreign policy resurgence. While Eastern European states have leaned toward maintaining U.S. alignment, Western capitals are wary of being drawn into another hemispheric rivalry.

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Latin America’s Growing Frustration

Many Latin American governments have grown frustrated with what they perceive as Europe’s symbolic engagement — high-level promises but limited follow-through on investment and trade.

“The Global South is tired of photo ops,” said María Fernanda Espinosa, former UN General Assembly president. “Europe’s nonattendance reinforces the perception that Latin America is once again being treated as a diplomatic afterthought.”

This sentiment was compounded by recent moves from China, which has deepened infrastructure and technology ties with Latin American nations through its Belt and Road Initiative, offering financing packages that the EU has been slow to match.

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The Trump Factor

At the heart of the tension lies Donald Trump’s reassertion of U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere. His administration has revived “Monroe Doctrine” language, warning against foreign (particularly Chinese and Russian) influence in Latin America, and pushing for tougher stances on left-leaning governments from Brazil to Bolivia.

Trump’s renewed influence has divided European leaders, some of whom fear that public opposition to U.S. policy could undermine vital NATO and trade ties.

“No one wants to antagonize Washington so close to next year’s NATO summit,” noted a Brussels-based policy analyst. “But by staying home, Europe looks weak — and Latin America notices.”

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A Missed Opportunity

The EU–CELAC summit was expected to showcase Europe’s Global Gateway program, a €300 billion initiative aimed at countering China’s influence by funding sustainable infrastructure and digital transformation across developing regions.

However, with only mid-level EU commissioners and foreign ministers attending, the initiative risks losing momentum.

Latin American leaders, meanwhile, are preparing to issue a joint communiqué calling for “a multipolar approach to global cooperation” — a direct nod to the region’s desire to escape the gravitational pull of both Washington and Brussels.

“The West talks about partnership,” said one senior Brazilian delegate, “but behaves like we’re still colonies.”

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The Takeaway

Europe’s absence from Bogotá sends a clear geopolitical signal: the transatlantic alliance is no longer guaranteed, and Latin America’s patience is running thin.

As Trump’s foreign policy redefines U.S. influence and China deepens its economic reach, Europe risks being squeezed out of a region it once viewed as a natural ally.

“This was Europe’s moment to show up,” said Espinosa. “Instead, it showed hesitation — and hesitation is costly in geopolitics.”