MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Honduras' Castro hands over Celac's rotating presidency to Petro

Castro trusts Petro (L) “to keep alive the dreams of Bolivar, Marti, Fidel, Allende, Chávez, and Sandino”

Honduran President Xiomara Castro Wednesday handed over the pro tempore presidency of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac) to Colombia's Gustavo Petro at the bloc's 9th Summit in Tegucigalpa.

Castro emphasized Celac's role in fostering Latin American unity amid global challenges, criticizing neoliberalism and U.S. policies like those of Donald Trump while advocating for sovereign cooperation and regional emancipation. She highlighted achievements during Honduras' tenure, including numerous meetings and solidarity with Cuba, Venezuela, and Palestine.

Petro, taking the helm for 2025-2026, pledged mutual assistance and collaboration, aiming to connect Celac globally and proposing practical integration.

Both leaders underscored unity and sovereignty in a shifting world order.

“It has been a difficult year, but the most important thing is what we have today, which is a sign of the unity of Latin America,” said Castro, who insisted the group was “stronger than ever”.

Petro warned that “what follows will be stormy months,” which was “always good” because they lead to port “faster than before.” Colombia's first leftwing head of State urged his regional colleagues “not to act alone” because “we are peoples who help each other.”

He also pledged “to help connect Latin America and the Caribbean with the whole world.”

In addition, he mentioned plans for the creation of a “military and police articulation of Latin America and the Caribbean” to tackle organized crime and the climate crisis.
Castro argued that Celac “was born of a dream, of an ideal, of a utopia treated by our heroes as a historical, sovereign and supportive subject.” She also pointed out that “we trust in the leadership of President Gustavo Petro to keep alive the dreams of Bolivar, Marti, Fidel, Allende, Chávez, and Sandino.”