Saturday, August 22nd 2026 - 08:28 UTC
Participants questioned Washington's conduct in the region, citing that intervention, strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and sanctions on Cuba, and called for greater regional autonomy
The opening session of the third Pan-American Congress, held on Friday at the Legislative Palace in Montevideo, combined criticism of United States policy towards Latin America with calls for self-criticism within progressive forces. More than 150 lawmakers, former presidents, ministers and political figures from fifteen countries are taking part, according to organisers.
Former Chilean president Gabriel Boric delivered the most widely noted speech, calling for consistency between political discourse and action. He criticised what he described as a “new imperialism” driven by Donald Trump and said the major powers “today do not speak of democracy, but directly of oil at the expense of a people.” He then turned a demand on his own allies: “We do not believe that violating international law is the way to intervene illegitimately in another people, but we also have to say very clearly that Maduro had stolen the elections and that his presidency at that time was also illegitimate.” He warned that if the left fails to acknowledge such distinctions, it will struggle to persuade its own electorates.
