(MENAFN- The Rio Times) Venezuela jolted the EU–CELAC summit in Santa Marta by refusing to endorse the joint declaration after taking part in every round of negotiation.

The last-minute“disassociation” surprised even seasoned diplomats, not least because others with strong objections signed the text while registering specific reservations in footnotes.

Two passages drove the split. First, a clause on maritime security in the Caribbean-intended to lower tensions and coordinate against transnational crime-avoided naming the United States.

Caracas pressed for tougher language condemning recent U.S. sea operations. European and Latin American negotiators held the line, arguing a broader coalition demands neutral, de-escalatory wording.

Second, the declaration's paragraph on the war in Ukraine expressed“deep concern” and called for a just peace grounded in territorial integrity.



Venezuela had previously helped shape language on Ukraine in Brussels in 2023, but this time sought to reopen the debate. When that failed, it chose to step away from the entire document rather than limit its dissent to a single clause.
Venezuela trades influence for ideology
Diplomatically, the costs are immediate. CELAC exists partly to amplify Latin American positions without Washington's shadow. By exiting a text supported-albeit with reservations-by nearly all regional governments, Caracas traded influence for symbolism.

Even close political allies accepted pragmatic compromise; Venezuela rejected it, narrowing its room for maneuver on trade, investment, and security cooperation the summit was designed to advance.

The episode also underscores a deeper divide in the region: between governments that prioritize workable, rules-based diplomacy and those that favor maximalist postures.

The former camp, often associated with fiscal caution and institutional restraint, views imperfect multilateral texts as tools for incremental gains. The latter reads compromise as capitulation and is willing to lose coalition cover to defend hard lines.

Why it matters for readers and investors: summit declarations guide funding channels, infrastructure priorities, and law-enforcement coordination. Venezuela's absence weakens its claim to regional backing at a time when it needs it most.

The rest of Latin America and Europe now move forward with a common-if carefully worded-road map, while Caracas stands apart, signaling ideology over deliverables in a forum built for practical outcomes.

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