Brazilian Leader Warns of Colonial-Style Interference in Latin America
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has warned that Latin America faces a renewed threat of external domination, criticizing recent U.S. actions as undemocratic interventions in the region. Speaking at the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) summit in Bogotá on Saturday, Lula framed historical and contemporary U.S. policy as an effort to exert control over sovereign nations.
His remarks followed a series of aggressive U.S. measures, including the indictment and subsequent arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January on drug trafficking charges, and the reinstatement of a strict oil embargo against Cuba. The U.S. has also maintained a long-standing policy of unilateral sanctions and authorized lethal interdictions of vessels in Caribbean waters as part of its anti-narcotics efforts.
Lula directly challenged the legitimacy of these actions. “It’s not possible for someone to think that they own other countries. What are they doing with Cuba now? What did they with Venezuela? Is that democratic?” he asked.
He traced the issue back to the 1823 Monroe Doctrine, which declared the Western Hemisphere a U.S. sphere of influence. While U.S. intervention waned after the Cold War, Lula alleged that the focus has now returned to the region’s resources. “After taking everything we had, now they want to own the critical minerals and rare earths that we have,” he stated, adding that Latin American leaders “cannot allow anyone to interfere and violate the territorial integrity of each country.”
The context for his warning is acute. The U.S. oil blockade has exacerbated Cuba’s chronic energy crisis, contributing to a second major nationwide blackout this past weekend that affected over 10 million people. Separately, U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to assert control over Cuba, stating he expects the “honor” of “taking Cuba in some form.”
Colombian President Gustavo Petro echoed this defense of sovereignty in an interview, insisting Latin America “is not a land to be conquered” and urging dialogue with Havana over imperial coercion.
Lula’s speech at CELAC—a bloc designed to promote regional integration without U.S. participation—underscores a growing diplomatic pushback against Washington’s unilateral policies. The alliance’s statements emphasize non-intervention and collective self-determination, positioning these principles against what member states describe as coercive external actions threatening regional stability and economic autonomy.
The summit’s final communiqué is expected to reaffirm these positions, highlighting the bloc’s role as a counterweight to U.S. influence as it pursues policies on energy security, resource management, and political sovereignty.
